Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga 06: End of the Armored War Gods (I)
by Kamen Rider Chrome
Summary: The Armored War Gods have brought peace and harmony throughout the land. However, like all good things, it must come to an end. As dark forces gather their power, will the Armored War Gods survive the dreadful onslaught? Or is this the beginning of the end for them? Whether it will be a good ending or a bad ending will depend on them as they unlock their true potential.
1. What a Wonderful Life

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

Gaim and Braco locked blades, sparks blasting off their weapons on impact. Gaim's eyes narrowed under his orange visor as Braco glared right back at him. Purple and orange energy erupted from the two combatants, bursting off them like flames and rising into the air as towers of colored fire. Breaking apart, they resumed their clash, sparks furiously blasting off as their weapons connected while they battled with all their might.

This fight was only going to end once either of them was dead.

"You can't win, Gaim! I'm stronger, more skilled, and more powerful than you will ever be!" Braco claimed.

"Maybe, but there's one thing I have that you lack!" Gaim shot back.

"And what is that?" Braco challenged. Gaim joined his Musou Saber and Daidaimaru together before he twirled the combined weapon around. He broke through Braco's guard and slashed him repeatedly before sending him sprawling with a powerful strike.

"The desire to protect and friends to back me up!" Gaim declared as he tossed his weapon aside and slashed his Cutting Blade over the Orange Lockseed, thrice. All around him, his friends chanted.

" _Kamen Rider!"_

" _Kamen Rider!"_

" _Kamen Rider!"_

 **[SOIYA! ORANGE SPARKING!]**

"Rider… JUMP!" Gaim leapt into the air and at the apex of his jump he tucked in his legs and flew through the row of large orange slice projections. He then twisted his hips and extended his right leg as orange energy burst from his body. Braco saw him coming and crossed his Yojato together to block the attack.

" **ORAAAANNNGEEEE! RIDEEEEERRRRR! KIIIIIIICCCKKKK!** " Gaim shouted as his foot smashed into Braco, shattering his swords and sending him into oblivion.

Before meeting his end, however, the Cobra Rinrinshi mustered enough strength to utter one last curse.

" **DAMN YOU, KAMEN RIDER!"**

Those were Braco's last words before he exploded.

As Gaim landed on one foot and one knee, the cheers continued to chorus around him.

" _Kamen Rider!"_

" _Kamen Rider!"_

" _Kamen Rider!"_

" _...Rider!"_

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 1: What a Wonderful Life**

* * *

 _Semaru Shokkā, Jigoku no gundan_

 _Warera wo nerau kuroi kage_

 _Sekai no heiwa wo mamoru tame_

 _Gō! Gō! Rettsu Gō! Kagayaku Mashin_

 _Raidā Janpu! Raidā Kikku!_

 _Kamen Raidā_

 _Kamen Raidā_

 _Raidā_

 _Raidā_

The alarm clock rang loudly and Nagata grumbled as he reached out to shut it off. Unfortunately, his hand swiped it off his bedside table, sending it falling to the floor below. Still, he blindly tried to reach out for it in order to shut it off.

Soft footsteps padded the floor and a feminine hand picked up the Kamen Rider Ichigo alarm clock. She giggled at the alarm clock's super-deformed appearance.

"How cute," she said before she shut off the alarm clock and put it down on the bedside table. She then went and roused Nagata awake. "Good morning, Naga-chan. It's time for school."

"Five more minutes, Mom..." he uttered as he tried to pull the covers over his face. The woman rolled her silver eyes then tugged the covers right off Nagata, revealing him in his Kamen Rider Kiva t-shirt and boxer shorts. He let out a cry of shock and shot out of bed. His bed hair was messy as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and yawned.

"Good morning," she greeted, smiling.

"Good morning...Mom?" Nagata's eyes widened as he saw his mother. She was a slim woman with a curvy figure and was dressed in a black sweater with a red knee-length skirt. She wore black stockings and had short black hair that had a slight red tint in it. She also wore reading glasses over her silver eyes.

Her name was Ruby Oda, and she was Nagata's mother. True mother to be accurate.

"You don't want to be late for school now, do you?" Ruby asked. Suddenly, Nagata got up and flung his arms around Ruby. Ruby was stunned by the gesture but relaxed to smile and return the hug. "Well, it's nice to see you too."

"Okaasan..." Nagata whispered.

* * *

Nagata came down to breakfast, ready for school. His uniform consisted of a white long-sleeved shirt with dark blue slacks. Under the white shirt he wore an orange t-shirt. His dark blue necktie hung from the unbuttoned collar. He also wore a light blue blazer over shirt with the school's emblem on the breast pocket.

"Come on, what's wrong, Naga-chan? You look like you haven't seen me in years," said Ruby as she sat down at breakfast with her son. Her husband sat at the table with them, taking a bite out of a piece of toast as he read the newspaper. The front page had a news story about the police finally apprehending the con artist known only by the pseudonym "Nise". He was charged with identity theft, kidnapping, and attempted murder.

Nagata just looked at his parents, Nagato Oda and Ruby Oda. Nagato had short dark hair that was slightly spiky, a bit of stubble on his chin, and blue eyes.

"Well, I had a weird dream," admitted Nagata.

"Oh, this should be interesting," Ruby smiled. She loved to hear about the dreams of others. They gave her good ideas for the stories she wrote.

"It's silly. In it I was the ruler of a kingdom and a Kamen Rider," he confessed. "I made friends, even had a girlfriend. We also fought monstrous villains together in order to achieve peace."

"Oh, was I in this dream?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"No, you weren't." Nagata shook his head. "You and Otousan, you were both..."

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, looks like your friends are here to walk to school with you," interrupted Ruby. "Finish your breakfast, Naga-chan. You don't want to keep them waiting." Ruby got up to answer the door. Nagata watched her go and turned to his father. It felt so weird.

"Nagata," said Nagato as he folded the newspaper. "You mentioned that in your dream you had a girlfriend?"

"Yeah," Nagata blushed.

"So, what's her name?" Nagato asked.

"It was just a dream, Otousan," Nagata declined.

"Humor me. Obviously, you were dreaming about a beautiful girl."

"Oh, fine. Her name was..." Nagata looked up as his mother came back into the dining room and his eyes fell upon the girl who had come in with her. "...Aisha."

There was Aisha, dressed in the female version of their school uniform. It was a white long sleeved blouse with a dark blue necktie and light blazer. Proudly displayed on her blazer's breast pocket was the school's crest. She was also wearing a short dark blue pleated skirt with black pantyhose. She held her school bag over her shoulder as she smiled at Nagata.

"Look who's here, Naga-chan. It's Aisha-chan," Ruby beamed.

Nagata was still stunned by her appearance in her school uniform, and asked, "Aisha, what brings you over?"

"Well, I was just in the area and thought we could walk to school together, Nagata-san," Aisha answered.

"Oh, right. School," Nagata hastily responded as he finished his toast and gulped down his orange juice. He picked up his school bag and gave his mother a hug. "I'll see you later."

"Have a good day at school, Naga-chan," Ruby replied as both her son and his female friend walked out the door. "They make such a cute couple, don't they?"

"They're not dating," Nagato reminded.

"I can still dream, can't I?" Ruby winked.

Zweiss was eating his dog food as Nagata and Aisha left for school. He barked happily at the sight of his owner. On the house's outer wall, Belle was lounging as usual and Nagata gave the cat a pat on the head. The cat purred as Nagata gently scratched her chin and behind the ears.

"For a stray, she acts like she's yours," Aisha remarked.

"Yeah. I gotta remember to leave out some food for her," Nagata replied.

"She would definitely appreciate that. Now, we should get going. We don't want to be late."

"Kinda wished I had a motorbike. That way we could be there in no time," Nagata stated.

"You know the rules, Nagata-san. Students are not allowed to bring motor-vehicles to school," Kanu recited.

"Hai, hai."

The two high school students were quick to begin their trip. Nagata felt good to have such a calm morning walk with Aisha. At the same time, he was pretty sure that they were missing some familiar faces. After all, he rarely saw Aisha without her honorary sisters at her side.

"Um, where are Rinrin and Touka?" asked Nagata.

"Aneue went on ahead for morning duties and Rinrin overslept," Aisha sighed. "She insisted on watching that movie last night and didn't go to bed until after midnight."

"Oh, right," Nagata nodded.

"Something wrong, Nagata-san?" Aisha asked as he noticed his expression.

"It's just I had a weird dream," he confessed.

"Was it about becoming a Kamen Rider again?" Aisha asked knowingly. She knew about his little obsession and unlike most did not ridicule or make fun of him for it.

"Yeah, kinda. I was a real hero in that dream and you were in it, and so were Rinrin, Touka, Sui, and..."

He suddenly felt someone slap his butt.

"WAH!" Nagata yelled. Whipping around, he wanted to groan as he saw a familiar face standing behind him. She wore the same uniform as Aisha, but she sported long blue hair that was pulled back in a thin ponytail at the base of her skull. She was also flexing her fingers as if remembering the texture of what she just touched and wearing an 'almost' perverted grin on her face. This was his classmate and friend Sei, probably the most perverted woman to ever exist.

"Nice and firm as ever," grinned Sei as she stood in front of them.

"Sei, what on Earth do you think you're doing?!" Aisha shouted in outrage.

"I couldn't help it. He has such a nice butt. I just want to spank it every time I see it," Sei answered.

' _My butt is not for spanking,_ ' Nagata thought sourly to himself.

"You do realize that smacking his posterior like that constitutes to sexual harassment," Aisha warned, deathly serious. Aisha was a traditional girl who believed in propriety, even if she didn't always follow it. How she and Sei came to be friends Nagata wasn't sure.

"I meant it as a compliment," Sei shrugged.

"Good morning to you too, Sei," Nagata deadpanned.

"And a good morning to you too, Nagata-kun," Sei returned. "So, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Care to share?"

Nagata didn't have a problem sharing. "I was just telling Aisha about the dream I had last night. You were in it too."

"Oh, having a dream about _me_? Was it a wet dream? What was I wearing, or was I in my birthday suit?" Sei teased.

Aisha huffed and took Nagata's hand, dragging along to the direction of their school. "We'll be late if we don't hurry, Nagata-san!"

"Ah, hai!" responded Nagata as Sei giggled and speed-walked alongside them.

The trio made it to school in record time. As they were about to pass through the gate, they spotted their homeroom teacher.

"Tenmaru-sensei, good morning," Aisha greeted their homeroom teacher at the front gate.

"Ah, Aisha-san. Good morning," smiled Tenmaru-sensei.

"Good morning, Sensei," Sei and Nagata greeted.

"And a good morning to you both as well."

The usual traditions of greetings were interrupted when a limousine pulled up in front of the gate and Reiha En stepped out. Smiling, a gentleman stepped out with her. This was her fiancé, Haru Hattori. Iishe and Toshi, two of her underlings/assistants greeted them before they stepped towards the gate.

The two were truly an odd couple. Reiha was without a doubt a spoiled rich 'Ojou-sama' who didn't have much common sense. Haru on the other hand was a street-wise tough guy even if everyone agreed he was a good person. How the two came to be engaged, even an arranged one, was a mystery. How they came to love each other with their apparent differences was an even bigger mystery.

As Reiha headed towards the gate, she failed to notice the banana peel lying in her path, resulting on her stepping on it and slipping comically.

"Kyaaaa!" Reiha screamed as she was about to fall as Iishe and Toshi gasped. Fortunately, Haru caught her before she had a nasty fall.

"Are you okay, Reiha-chan?" Haru asked as their eyes met.

Reiha gazed up at her knight in shining armor. "Oh, you saved me, Haru-sama."

"Can't let my princess fall, can I, Reiha-chan?" Haru smiled before helping her back to her feet. They walked hand-in-hand towards the school building followed by Iishe and Toshi.

"They are one odd couple," observed Sei as the couple walked towards the school.

"Perhaps the old saying is true: opposites do attract," added Aisha.

"Engaged by their families and yet truly in love. That's rare in this day and age," remarked Nagata. "Like a fairy tale romance."

"So, you're a romantic then, Nagata?" Sei asked.

"I may be a guy, but I can appreciate a bit of romance, Sei," he defended.

"Never said there was anything wrong with that. Hey, Aisha. Ever hope for a fairy tale romance like that?" Sei teased.

Aisha blushed and was about to respond loudly when she saw a dust cloud was heading towards them. As it got closer, it was revealed to be a small girl, wearing a school uniform like theirs with short red hair and looking rather put out. Nagata knew the coming storm was Aisha's younger sibling Rinrin, one of the most hyperactive kids he ever got to meet.

Rinrin stormed the schoolyard before she slid out in front of Aisha and glared at her.

"Aisha-neechan! You left me behind! Why didn't you wake me up!?" shouted Rinrin.

"Well, you should know better than to sleep late," Aisha scolded.

"Well, I only slept late because there was a really cool movie playing last night!" Rinrin countered.

"You could always watch it online later!" Aisha shot back.

"It wouldn't be the same!"

Sei watched with amusement as the two sisters argued with each other. Nagata rolled his eyes as they argued. It was too early in the day for them to start arguing like this.

"Come on, girls. If you keep on arguing, the two of you are going to be late," said Nagata, catching Rinrin's attention.

"Nagata-niichan!" Rinrin hugged the boy, her earlier outrage suddenly evaporating.

"Hey, Rinrin," smiled Nagata as he patted her head before he took out a wrapped Umaibo and handed it to her. "I got this for you."

"Arigato, Nagata-niichan!" Rinrin beamed, her anger subsided as she bit into her favorite snack. She had to skip breakfast since she was late for school.

Huffing and puffing, Shuri met up with her friends at the gate. She was Rinrin's classmate and was a first-year student like her, while Nagata, Aisha, and Sei were second-year students. She was still the new girl and quite shy, having just moved into town. Seeing that, Nagata and his friends reached out to her and brought her into their circle where she seemed to bloom with their friendship.

"Finally...finally..." Shuri dropped her school bag and put her hands on her knees, gasping for breath. "I caught up with you, Rinrin."

"Shuri, you're way out of shape," Rinrin observed.

"Not everyone's a stamina freak like little Rinrin here," Nagata countered as he ruffled the redhead's hair. He pulled out a bottle of water from his school bag and handed it to Shuri. "Here, you should rehydrate."

"Arigato, Nagata-sempai," Shuri blushed, as she accepted the offered bottle and smiled before she popped it open and took a sip.

"Now, how about we get to class before the bell rings? I really don't want to deal with the school prefects for being late."

"Better the prefects than Headmaster Chosen," remarked Sei. Just the mention of their headmaster's name caused them to shudder.

"Don't say his name!" Rinrin cried. "He might appear if you do!"

"He's not a boogeyman, Rinrin," chided Aisha.

"Still pretty creepy," Nagata stated. Nobody seemed to disagree with him on that.

Meanwhile, Sui was standing in front of the shoe lockers with a love letter in her hand. She had been waiting for this moment. With everyone distracted outside and few people inside, it was a perfect timing. There were no witnesses to catch her in the act. With what she was about to do, she couldn't afford any witnesses.

"OK, just slip it inside. It's that easy," she told herself as she lifted up the shoe locker's flap to slip the letter inside. She took a deep breath. "Just put the damn letter inside. Just put it in, leave it there, and hope he reads it. What's so hard about that?" Her hand trembled and she slammed the shoe locker shut. "Why can't I do this!?"

"Hey, Sui!" Nagata greeted.

"KYAAAAAAA!" Sui screamed loudly as she quickly spun around and hid the letter behind her back. Nagata jumped back, startled. Aisha, Rinrin, Shuri and Sei just stared at the girl with wide eyes because of her reaction. Sui blushed as she saw the object of her affection looking at her.

She quickly recomposed to give her friends a morning greeting, "Oh, morning guys!"

"Sui, calm down. You gave us all a shock with that one," Nagata remarked.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Sui bowed as she apologized. Sei saw the letter Sui was trying to hide but said nothing as her lips curled into a mischievous grin. Oh, she would have fun teasing her later.

"Well, if the walk didn't wake me up, that shock sure did," said Nagata as he smiled. "Shall we head to class?"

"Ah, right. Class. That's right. We have class. Don't wanna be late for class," Sui rambled.

Nagata blinked at the odd response as Aisha opened up her shoe locker to see a love letter had been left inside. Sei saw this and snatched the letter out of her locker.

"Ooh, is this a love letter from a secret admirer?" teased Sei.

"Sei, give that back!" demanded Aisha.

"You really should give it back, Sei," suggested Nagata. Sei sighed, rolled her eyes, and handed the letter back to Aisha.

"I wonder who it is from," said Aisha as she opened the letter. She scanned its contents and her eyes widened as she blushed before her lips curled into a grimace.

"From the looks of it, it must be pretty steamy," Sei grinned.

"What's steamy?" Rinrin asked curiously. Ah, so innocent.

Shuri blushed. "I'll explain it to you later, Rinrin."

"It's another letter from Sousou-san propositioning me," Aisha frowned.

"Akechi's stepsister?" Nagata asked.

"Ah, Sousou-san has always had a huge crush on Aisha. She wants to add her to her harem of female lovers," Sei explained. It was a well-known fact that Sousou liked girls...a lot...like 'a whole lot'...and rumor stated she had a harem of girls she would constantly fool around with.

"And I've told her before that I'm not interested," scowled Aisha. "I shall have words with her!"

"You know, knowing her, she might just think you're playing hard-to-get," Sei remarked.

"That's really not helping Sei," retorted Nagata. "Who knows? Maybe she's reasonable."

"That's just wishful thinking, Nagata," Sui replied. Sousou was as stubborn as a mule and when she wanted something, she pushed until she got it. There was just no saying no to her for very long.

The bell rang and Nagata said, "We should continue this conversation later in class before we get marked as tardy. I do not want to hold water buckets outside of class, again."

The second-year students separated from their first-year friends and headed to class together.

* * *

During PE, the boys of Nagata's class were playing soccer. As they shared PE period with another class, they were playing against each other. The boys of Nagata's class wore blue armbands while the boys of the other class wore red armbands.

And the other class was being led by Mitsuki Akechi, his longtime rival. It all started during their first shared PE period a year ago. Nagata had led their team to victory in a game of dodgeball and Mitsuki instantly declared that the two of them were rivals from then on. Since then, the two had been competing with each other. To be honest, Nagata would prefer that they be friends, but Mitsuki was having none of that. They were rivals and nothing more.

Still, there were benefits to this relationship. They weren't openly antagonistic towards each other, and Mitsuki could be friendly. It was during any competitive event that Mitsuki dropped his friendly behavior and immediately turned aggressive. Having a rival also helped Nagata to improve as he got a challenger that forced him to always be better.

"Alright, I want a nice clean match. That means no hitting each other," the PE teacher told them. They both met in the middle of the field as everyone took their position. The ball stood between Nagata and Mitsuki as their eyes met.

"Ready to lose, Oda?" challenged Mitsuki.

"Speak for yourself," Nagata returned and Mitsuki smirked. "By the way, your stepsister sent Aisha another love letter."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" Mitsuki retorted.

"Tell her to stop, maybe?" Nagata suggested.

"We have an arrangement ever since our parents got hitched. She doesn't tell me what to do, I don't tell her what to do, and it's been working fine," Mitsuki clarified firmly. "Why would I ever change that?"

"So that's a no?"

"Exactly."

The PE teacher blew the whistle and Mitsuki quickly stole the ball, causing Nagata to stagger. Mitsuki ran past Nagata with the ball, forcing the latter to chase him to get it back. The players began chasing after Mitsuki to get the ball, but no matter what they tried to do to steal it he skillfully avoided them before he scored a goal. Iori, who was the goalie for Nagata's team, jumped for the ball but he missed as the ball brushed past his fingertips.

"Damn!" Iori cursed. Nagata went over to help his friend up.

"Don't give up," Nagata encouraged. "The game just started. Just hold your ground and do your best."

"Hai, Nagata," Iori nodded to his friend who gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

While the boys were playing soccer, the girls were doing long jumps. While waiting their turn, the girls watched the boys play soccer while cheering or trading gossip.

"Mitsuki!" Shuran cheered loudly.

"Take off your shirts!" Sei yelled.

"Sei!" Aisha cried out in embarrassment.

"What? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking," Sei shrugged, unabashed. "And don't tell me you never wanted to see Nagata, topless, and glistening with sweat."

Aisha's face took on a shade reminiscent of her little sister's hair color. "I would never!"

"That blush says otherwise," Sei chuckled.

"Oi, Aisha-san! You're up!" the female PE teacher called.

"Hai, sensei!" Aisha answered. She walked up to the starting point for the long jump. She glanced at her friends and momentarily her eyes met with Karin's. The blonde winked at Aisha, causing her to blush.

Meanwhile, sitting in the bushes were Ushio Kenshin and Takada Hideyoshi. They were a bit of an odd pair as Kenshin was a delinquent and Takada was obviously a nerd. Still, the two of them were the best of friends since childhood.

"Oh, yeah. I love it when girls run around in their bloomers. They have great legs," said Kenshin, shamelessly ogling the girls as they went through their physical activities. He was taking pictures of them with his phone. "I wish girls came to school in just their bloomers every day."

"Like that would ever happen." Hideyoshi rolled his eyes as he played Angry Birds on his smartphone. "We should get back to class before they notice we've been gone for too long."

"Just let me enjoy the view a little longer," pleaded Kenshin.

"Honestly, you can see this online whenever you want," Hideyoshi huffed.

"Where's the fun in that?" Kenshin retorted.

"It'll be less risky," Hideyoshi reasoned.

"Well, the risk is the best pa-!"

"What!?"

Suddenly, the two were pulled out of the bushes by Shuran and Shunran, the infamous Kako Twins. Quite a popular duo, and quite close as sisters, to the point that they shared everything...even their boyfriend.

"What the heck are you two doing!?" Shunran demanded.

Shuran took the phone off Kenshin's hands and she frowned as she saw the pictures he had taken. "Apparently, he had been taking pictures of us during gym. All of these are bloomer shots."

Hideyoshi was quick to pin the blame on Kenshin. "It was his idea!"

"Dude, not cool!" Kenshin yelled as Hideyoshi threw him under the bus.

"Well, then accept Heavenly Judgment!" Shunran shouted.

Both boys got punished. For the sake of the children, we shall not go into the depths of their suffering.

"What the Hell was _that_?" Nagata asked.

"Probably Shunran and Shuran punishing some perverts," Mitsuki answered. "Now, let's get back to the game."

Back to the soccer game, Nagata had the ball. The players of the other team were converging on him as he had a clear shot for their goal. He decided to risk it and kick the ball as hard as he could. It shot across the field and towards the goal.

However, it never got in as Haru caught it in his hands. "There's no way I'm letting this get in!"

Nagata bit back a curse as Haru kicked the ball back into the middle of the field and both teams rushed to get it.

The game continued on with the ball shooting across the field. Mitsuki managed to catch it with his foot's instep before he took it towards the opposing team's goal. Members of Nagata's team tried to steal the ball away but failed as Mitsuki dodged them.

Nagata frowned as it was now up to him to steal the ball and preventing Mitsuki from scoring. He performed a sweep for the ball and Mitsuki tripped as he lost it. He turned and saw Nagata heading towards the goal with the ball. Gritting his teeth, Mitsuki gave chase.

With the threat of Mitsuki stealing the ball, Nagata scanned the field and gave the ball a kick, passing the ball to one of his classmates. Nagata then smirked at Mitsuki who scowled in response. It was a really intense match as the ball got passed around until it flew through the air. Nagata jumped and headed the ball and it flew right past Haru's head and into the goal's net.

"GOAL!" Nagata cheered.

Haru picked up the ball and kicked it, throwing it back into the field. Both teams chased after it and the game continued until the end of the period.

Nagata's team won and he was carried by his classmates for scoring the winning goal.

"Oi, Oda!" Mitsuki shouted as Nagata was set back down to his feet. Nagata frowned and prepared himself for whatever retribution Mitsuki thought he deserved. Instead of a smack to the face, Mitsuki extended his hand towards him. "Good game."

"Ah, right." Nagata took Mitsuki's hand and shook it.

"Next time if our classes compete against each other, we'll win," Mitsuki swore.

"Alright, but expect a challenge," Nagata replied.

"Of course. It would be a disappointing match if you weren't at your best," Mitsuki smirked.

They may be rivals, but once the game was done they were on pretty good terms.

* * *

It was lunchtime, and it was Nagata's turn to buy bread for his friends. It was a fair decision. They played Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide who would be the gopher, and Nagata was the unfortunate loser of the game. Fortunately, he didn't have to pay for their purchases. They gave him money and he went to the school's bread store to get the requested items.

And as usual, the front of the bread store was crowded with students wanting to buy delicious buns, rolls, sandwiches and all types of yummy bread. Due to how popular their menu was, it was nearly impossible for anyone to get anything unless they managed to get to the front of the line first.

"This is why I hate gopher duty," Nagata grumbled as he scratched his head. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Ren. "Ah, hey Ren."

Ren was a bit of a strange girl. She was quite tall, and was able to outmuscle any guy in school. Given how she rarely spoke and the girls whispered how she had tattoos, plenty of people were afraid of her, thinking she was a delinquent and avoided her. Nagata, on the other hand, knew her better, having seen her once playing with Zweiss after he had wandered away from home.

Ren smiled at him and greeted back, "Hello, Nagata."

"If you're looking for Zweiss, he didn't follow me to school this time," he told her.

"Oh." Ren looked disappointed. Nagata understood. Zweiss was an adorable little dog.

"Guess you're here for bread too. Sorry, it seems we won't be getting anything but leftovers here." Nagata pointed to the crowd.

Ren's eyes narrowed. "No leftovers." She turned Nagata around and took hold of his shoulders from behind.

"Ren, what are you doing?" Nagata asked as he sweatdropped.

Ren's eyes sparkled dangerously. "We'll be pushing through."

"Uh-oh," Nagata gulped.

* * *

Nagata held the paper bag filled with baked goods as he ran back to where his friends were waiting for him. He looked over his shoulder. Hopefully, none of the other students were mad at him for cutting in line. Ren could be rather insistent and when it came to food, nothing could stop her.

As he wasn't watching where he was going, he accidentally ran into Masataka Miyamoto, aka the Student Council Secretary. The two landed in a heap on the floor with Masataka landing on his back and Nagata lying on top of him.

"Ah, Miyamoto-sempai! I'm so sorry!" yelled Nagata as he quickly got off the Student Council Secretary.

"You shouldn't run in the hallways, Oda-kun," Masataka said as he picked up his glasses. He saw the bread that was scattered around them. "Ah, I see. You were in a hurry after buying lunch for your friends."

"Yeah, I kinda got stuck with gopher duty," replied Nagata in embarrassment.

Masataka helped Nagata pick up the bread as he said, "Takes me back to my early days in the Student Council when I used to buy bread for Sheren-kaichou."

"The old Student Council President," Nagata frowned sympathetically. "I'm so sorry about what happened to her."

"It's OK. I actually blame myself. If I had only worked harder, she wouldn't have turned into a shut-in NEET," Masataka sighed. He perked up, "Anyway, you best rejoin your friends. You know how aggressive girls can get when they're hungry."

"Arigato, Miyamoto-sempai," Nagata thanked him before he continued on his way.

What neither of them realized was that Non Rikuson was spying on them and taking pictures of them with a creepy smile.

"This will become a great inspiration for my next doujin," Non smiled with flushed cheeks. For some reason, her last doujin offended her boyfriend, Fuyu. All she did was write a twincest story starting him and his twin brother, Natsu.

* * *

"And then I kept eating, and eating, and eating and became a giant that I ate the Earth," Rinrin finished. "That's when I woke up and that was when I noticed Onee-chan left me behind."

"I tried to wake you up but you were so out of it. I didn't want to be late for school," Aisha defended.

"You should've tried harder, Onee-chan!" huffed Rinrin.

"But that's still a really funny dream," Touka laughed. The rosette was Aisha and Rinrin's sworn eldest sister and a third year. While not related by blood, the three childhood friends had bonded as sisters and had sworn an oath of sisterhood.

"Girls, I'm back! And I bought the bread!" Nagata called as he found the girls sitting under their usual tree. He sat down and handed the girls the bread they ordered before digging into his own lunch.

"I hope it wasn't any trouble, Nagata-san," said Aisha.

"It was no trouble," he lied. "I managed to get to the front of the line without any difficulty."

"The bread shop always gets crowded during lunch," Sui stated.

"Well, when the items are so popular, what can you do about it? So, what was all that laughing about? Sounds like I missed a funny joke."

Touka said, "Rinrin just told us a very funny dream."

"Oh, a dream, huh?" Nagata responded.

"Nagata-san, you mentioned you had a dream this morning. You never got to tell us what it was," Aisha recalled.

"If it's a wet dream, I want to hear it." Sei raised a hand.

"No, it's nothing," said Nagata as he shook his head.

"Are you afraid we forgot your birth-" Rinrin started before Aisha closed her hand around Rinrin's mouth.

"Pardon?" Nagata blinked.

Rinrin flailed as Aisha leaned in closely to her ear and whispered, "You'll do well not to mention the you-know-what around Nagata-san." Rinrin nodded quickly, allowing Aisha to sigh as she removed her hand.

"It's nothing, Nagata-niichan," laughed Rinrin.

Sei scooted closer to Sui and whispered, "You know, you should just confess directly to him and get it over with."

"When I'm ready," Sui whispered back. She wanted Nagata to know her feelings, but timing was everything. She could always just slip the letter into his desk or shoe locker later.

Sei just shook her head. Sui had always had a crush on Nagata since the day they met. It was cute at first but the way Sui was stalling was annoying. But Sei respected Sui's decision to wait.

"Nagata," Ren spoke as she stood at their lunch spot, a paper bag filled with bread in her arms. Sekito was next to her.

"Ah, Ren," Nagata smiled. "So, I guess you didn't have any difficulties when you went to buy bread either."

"No problem," she answered.

"Would you like to join us?"

Ren nodded and she sat down to join them. She took out a meat bun, split it in half to share with Sekito, before she began to eat her half of the meat bun.

Now, Ren was pretty famous around school and not just for her usual reputation. While normally stoic, with a neutral, emotionless expression always plastered on her face, she looked absolutely adorable as she ate. Everyone gathered around the redhead, gazing adoringly at how cute Ren looked as she ate.

Nagata blinked but chuckled in amusement as his friends fawned over Ren.

"Is something funny, Nagata-sempai?" asked Shuri.

"It's nothing, Shuri. It's just I'm so happy right now," said Nagata.

"Why? We're just having lunch as usual," remarked Sui.

"That's the thing. This sense of peace. That is why I'm so happy," Nagata said as he looked up at the sky. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it? I could just sit under this tree all day without a care in the world."

"It really is a nice day," Touka agreed. "So, about this dream you had. What was it about?"

"You were all in it. We were warriors in Ancient China. I was your leader and king," Nagata described. "Together we fought evil, protected the innocent and saved the day before we sat together and had dinner."

"Sounds like a pretty cool dream," Rinrin beamed. "Was I cool too?"

"You were the really strong one," Nagata described as he patted Rinrin's head.

Suddenly, a soccer ball came flying out of nowhere and smacked Nagata right upside the head.

"Nagata!" the girls cried.

* * *

"It's just a small bump," Shion the school nurse said as she examined Nagata's head injury.

Shion was definitely the most desired woman in the entire school. She was mature and beautiful, with a definitely killer figure. She was kind and gentle too, despite being the advisor to the archery club. She was a confirmed single mother to a little girl too, making her the ultimate MILF many of the teenage boys fantasized about.

Earlier, she had to treat Kenshin and Hideyoshi's injuries. They refused to comment on how they got hurt, but she still made sure to treat their wounds with expert care, telling them to take better care of themselves. Hideyoshi seemed to heed her warning, but Kenshin would probably forget and resume his usual shenanigans.

"Yeah," Nagata chuckled as she applied the band-aid. It was pretty embarrassing. The soccer ball did leave a bad bump, but nothing life-threatening.

"Thankfully, you don't have any other injuries," she said.

"Shion-sensei, I have another student needing help," said Iori, coming in with a student who had a nosebleed...which got worse for some reason as he laid eyes on the busty school nurse.

"Thank you, Iori-kun," Shion smiled. Iori blushed and stammered a response before leaving the nurse's office. Nagata just shook his head. It was obvious that Iori had a crush on Shion. Most of the boys in this school were attracted to the school nurse. What made it weird was that Shion seemed to have a soft spot for him too. Nagata didn't see it himself so he considered that a rumor.

"Busy day?" Nagata observed.

"Yes, indeed. I've had to treat students for minor injuries because of some incident at the bread store earlier," Shion informed him.

Nagata sweatdropped as he recalled the 'incident' which involved Ren helping him get to the front of the line. A lot of students got hurt in the process.

"Are they OK?" he asked.

"They'll be fine."

"That's good."

* * *

After school, the students either left for home or had club activities. Nagata was no different, except his extracurricular activities took place outside of school. He was enrolled as a student at a local dojo to sharpen his kendoka skills.

Meanwhile, at his aunt and uncle's restaurant, preparations were being made for Nagata's birthday.

"Okay, Aisha-chan. You're going to need to take care of Naga-chan before we end the party," Ruby said.

"Yes, of course," Aisha complied.

"When Ruby said to take care of him, she means ' _take care of him_ '," Yang winked suggestively. With how she phrased it and winked, everyone present blushed due to the implication. Everyone but Rinrin that is. She was much too immature to understand what Yang was implying.

"Yang!" Ruby cried out in embarrassment. Even as adults her big sister still enjoyed embarrassing her.

"Seriously?" Blake Kurogami asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Honestly, you sound like a dirty old man," Weiss Yukihime frowned in disapproval. She could enjoy a good laugh, but not inappropriate humor. "We're supposed to be the grownups here and set a good example."

"Oh, lighten up, Ice Queen. It's a party for our very special boy. I was just having a little fun," Yang grinned back.

"The party hasn't even started yet."

"Details...details..."

Sei began to speak, "You know, Aisha. What Yang-san is suggesting is for you and Nagata to go and have se-" She never finished her sentence as Sui clamped her mouth shut with her hand.

"Not another word!" Sui yelled with a blush. "Can we just not talk about this until he comes?"

Sui removed her hand from Sei who chuckled, "Heh, 'comes'."

"Not another word," Sui hissed.

Ruby pulled Aisha aside so they could speak privately, "Aisha-chan, you know what I mean by 'take care of him', right?"

"I do not know what you mean, Ruby-san," Aisha replied. Ruby rolled her silver eyes. Oh, this girl was so in denial.

"You really like my son, don't you?" Ruby asked, causing Aisha to blush.

"I…how…?"

"It's so obvious. You've had a crush on him ever since you met."

Aisha couldn't lie to the woman. "It's just...it's not something I can talk about so easily..."

"You didn't want your friendship to be ruined because things might get complicated," Ruby concluded.

Aisha pressed her fingers together, blushing. "Nagata-san is…he's just so kind and strong. He doesn't let his skills or talents give him a big head. He's selfless and brave and he's everything I admire."

"So, tell him then. He'll be happy to listen," Ruby encouraged. "And I'm rooting for you."

"Thank you."

"He's coming!" Rinrin called as she spotted Nagata arriving.

* * *

Nagata went straight to kendo practice after school ended before he went to his aunt and uncle's restaurant. He worked part-time there as a cook. It was where he picked up his cooking skills. He didn't want to rely on only one skill. Being able to cook well did seem like a good idea and gave him something to do besides kendo and his hobbies.

As he stepped through the door, he was startled by a chorus of shouts.

"SURPRISE!"

Nagata was taken aback by the loud shout. Scanning the interior of the restaurant, he saw that all his friends were present. He also saw the decorations, which included a banner that read " **HAPPY BIRTHDAY** ".

"It's...my birthday..." muttered Nagata. He had totally forgotten about it.

"Happy birthday, Naga-chan," Ruby smiled.

"Okaasan," Nagata responded before he felt a pair of hands cover his eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Kara-chan?" Karasu removed her hands from his eyes and he turned to give his second cousin a hug. "You came to visit!"

"Like I would ever forget to attend my favorite cousin's birthday party, Naga-kun. Everyone's here too."

Nagata looked at everyone who had gathered and smiled. His family wasn't the only ones in attendance, but also his friends and godmothers.

"You're one year older now so you should act more mature," Weiss advised.

"Don't listen to Ice Queen here, Nagata," Yang countered.

"Hey!" Weiss let out, offended.

"Just be as young as you feel and have fun with your life."

Blake added, "Just don't ever compromise your true self as you grow up."

"Thanks," Nagata smiled. Blake and Weiss' kids were also in attendance. He could see Shirohana Yukihime standing with the Kuro Twins (Blake's son and daughter). Seeing everyone here, he was happy that all of his friends and loved ones could attend the party.

"Alright! A party isn't a party without games! So, it's time to bring this baby out!" Yang declared as she pushed in a wheel that was attached to a podium. The wheel had colored sections with each section having something written on them.

Ruby clapped her hands together. "Oh, the Wheel of Fun!"

"You seriously brought _that_ out here?" Weiss deadpanned.

"Come on, admit it. We had fun with it, Ice Queen and it is Nagata's party," Yang reminded.

"True, this is Nagata's party," Weiss agreed as she reluctantly allowed this. She warned, "But I will put a stop to it if things get too risqué."

"That's why I took 'Twister' off the wheel. You'd never let me hear the end of it."

"But I liked that game," Ruby pouted.

"Ruby, it wouldn't be appropriate with all the girls here," Weiss admonished.

"I see your point," Ruby conceded.

"What is the Wheel of Fun?" Touka asked.

"I'm glad you asked, Touka-chan! Now, earlier today, I had you all write your names on slips of paper and put them in this box here!" Yang put down the box on a table. "Now, whoever's name I pick will spin the wheel! And whatever activity the arrow falls on, that is what you'll be doing with Nagata!"

The girls now became interested and Nagata was worried when he saw some of the 'activities' on the wheel which included "Sing Karaoke", "Truth or Dare", "Rock-Paper-Scissor", "DDR" and the "Pocky Game".

"Alright, and the first lucky girl is..." Yang pulled her hand out of the box with the slip of paper. She opened it and smiled. "OK, the first lucky girl is Shuri-chan!"

"Hawawawa!? Me!?" the blonde cried out with a blush.

"Come on up, Shuri-chan!" Ruby ushered the blonde to the wheel. She saw all the possible activities while the girls looked at her in envy. She then spun the wheel and it went around and around until it stopped and the arrow pointed down on the activity.

"Oh, and Shuri-chan gets to play...The Pocky Game!" Yang declared.

The Pocky Game was a simple party game. It involved a stick of Pocky and both participants would hold each end in their mouths. They would then eat each end until the Pocky stick either broke or they both ended up kissing.

Nagata had to squat a bit so he was at eye level with the shorter girl. He was reluctant, with everyone watching, but this was his party. If he didn't act as a good sport, Shuri would just be embarrassed. He looked to Shuri whose eyes were shut and her face was red in embarrassment. The stick of Pocky was already between them, each end held with their lips.

"And begin!" Yang declared.

Before the game began, Karasu suddenly shouted, causing both Nagata and Shuri to turn towards the direction of the noise. The Pocky stick broke in half and the game was over.

"Sorry! I thought I saw a bug!" Karasu apologized.

"Does that mean the game's over?" Shuri asked as she finished eating her half of the Pocky stick. She felt both relieved yet oddly disappointed.

What a contradiction.

"That's OK, we got a box full of them here," said Ruby cheerfully but when she opened the box, she saw that it was empty. "Hey, who ate all the Pocky?"

Rinrin was eating Pocky and everyone stared at her.

"What?"

"Rinrin, that was for the party!" Aisha scolded.

"Sorry, nobody told me!" Rinrin defended.

Karasu smirked as, without Pocky, they couldn't continue the game.

"Well, so much for that game. Looks like some other lucky girl will get to play with Nagata," said Yang as she took out another slip of paper. "Oh, and this time it's Sei!"

Sei smiled and went to spin the wheel. When it stopped, the arrow pointed at "Bunny Girl on Lap".

"Bunny Girl?" Weiss cocked an eyebrow. "Isn't that inappropriate?"

"Come on, Weiss. As long as the responsible adults are here, nothing naughty is going to happen," Yang winked.

"I trust your husband more than you," Weiss mumbled.

It took Sei only a few minutes to change into a Playboy Bunny costume. Nagata had trouble trying to peel his eyes away from Sei's amazing figure. The skin tight white bodice-leotard left very little to the imagination, showing off her cleavage. Her legs were covered in fishnets and she wore a white collar with a black bowtie. The costume had a fluffy bunny tail and she wore the headband with rabbit ears atop her head. On her feet she wore high heels.

As Sei sashayed towards Nagata, she gave him a sultry smile before she planted herself on his lap. She sat across his lap, putting her hands on his shoulders for support.

"So, birthday boy..." Sei whispered into his ear while tracing circles on his chest. "How do you like your _present_?" Nagata blushed bright red, and even brighter red as she kissed him.

Yang took a picture with her phone and Ruby clapped at the sight. Some of the girls glowered, envious of Sei's position. Karasu was holding a pair of chopsticks in hand and had just snapped them in half.

Sei gave Nagata another smile before she got off him and walked away to get changed, swaying her hips.

"Well, that was interesting," Yang remarked.

"Well, as long as nothing too tasteless occurs, I will allow it." Weiss crossed her arms.

"Okaasan, I'm surprised you would allow this," Nagata said to his mother.

"It's your birthday, and it's all in good fun," Ruby smiled reassuringly.

"Next up, Sui! Spin the wheel!" Yang called.

Sui reluctantly spun the wheel. She didn't want to end up wearing a bunny girl outfit. That would be embarrassing.

"OK, so Sui here is going to...play Dance Dance Revolution with Nagata!"

Sui was mortified. It wasn't the bunny girl suit, but she was terrible at DDR! She looked at the machine then back at Nagata who was stepping up. She turned to look at her friends. She couldn't back out.

"Sui, come on," Nagata prompted. "Let's just have fun."

"Oh, OK," Sui nodded as she went up with him to the pads. The TV screen lit up as the game started, a song blasting out of the speakers. It was a J-Pop song, of course, and one of Nagata's favorites.

She looked to Nagata who had his eyes closed and Sui focused her eyes on the screen.

 **READY?**

 **LET'S DANCE!**

Nagata followed the arrows that scrolled up the screen. His movements were fluid. Sui, on the other hand, was struggling quite a bit. She was an amateur, preferring some fighting games over some dancing games, and it showed as she tried not to miss her cues.

Only she missed quite a few.

Sui panicked as her movements became a bit more frantic. As she was about to trip and fall, Nagata caught her hand and stopped her from falling. Sui blushed as she felt him hold her hand and she looked up at his silver eyes.

 **GAME OVER!**

The scores were displayed. Nagata's score wasn't perfect since he stopped to help Sui, but her score was abysmal compared to his. However, she wasn't at all upset at how low her score was. She actually enjoyed herself.

"And next..." Yang declared as they continued with the party game.

Each of the girls had their turn on an activity with Nagata. Shuri sang a karaoke duet with him, Touka got to have a staring contest with him, which allowed her to gaze long into his silver eyes, Rinrin herself got to arm wrestle him and win, and finally, Kanu had her chance to sing to Nagata, solo.

Nagata enjoyed each of the activities. This had to be the best birthday ever.

And next came the gifts.

Nagata smiled as he received his gifts. He opened up the first gift he received and saw it was a toy SengokuDriver with the Orange Lockseed, Lemon Energy Lockseed, Genesis Core and Kachidoki Lockseed. He also received a new SIC Kamen Rider Gaim figure.

The gift was from Aisha and Rinrin who both knew he was a fan of the series.

Karasu gave him a gift as well. It was a hand-knitted doll that looked like him. He smiled at her, causing her to blush. He also got the Chou Sisters' latest album from Touka, the one with the rare cover art done by their manager Marcus Date. Sei's gift was a cookbook full of menma recipes. He had a feeling that she wanted him to whip her up something. Then there was Sui who gave him a lucky charm. It was a horseshoe, but it still counted as a lucky charm.

Another gift he received was a book written by his mother. It hadn't even been released to the public yet. It was entitled "Armored War Gods Saga". He accepted the book and promised he would read it.

Many gifts, each thoughtful, were given to him. He accepted them, saying his thanks. He smiled and looked as everyone gathered around him, wishing him a happy birthday. He started to shed tears of joy.

"Alright, Naga-chan. It's time to blow out your candles and make your wish," Ruby prompted as she placed the birthday cake down in front of her son. It was a special cake in the shape of Kamen Rider Ichigo's head. Nagata smiled as he looked at the cake and then at all his friends.

He blew out the candles.

* * *

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Nagata and his bride stood in front of the altar. He was wearing an immaculate white tuxedo while she looked stunning in her pure white wedding dress. Sitting on the church pews were their friends, families and loved ones.

Facing his bride, he lifted up the veil to gaze into her eyes. He gently cupped her face, caressing her cheeks, before he leaned in for a kiss.

This was the happiest day of his life.

Just like his birthday 10 years ago, he wished that this happiness would never end.

* * *

 **KRC:** A bit different, but this was a chapter inspired by "It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Man Who Has Everything". Look it up for those titles when you have time. But to sum it up, this dream is a reflection of Nagata's true desire. It's a slice of life because deep down this is what he wants. A peaceful life with everyone. So, there's no mental manipulation or RinJyuKen plot involved here. All you see, is his dream and desire. The world of dreams can be an amazing place. It's a place where we can have a chance to live out our desires and indulge in our fantasies. There were no limits to what we could do in dreams. We could have our own happy endings.

You may also notice alternate versions of Blake and Weiss being present here as well. This won't be their last appearance. You can bet on that.

 **TFP:** Not quite what you were expecting, was it? Well, it's a nice change from where we left off in season five. Nagata's seeing his heart's desire, a world where he and his friends can be safe, happy, and still be together. A world where his family is complete and no one lacks for anything. Not a bad dream if I do say so myself. And don't worry. This is a normal dream, not someone trying to pry secrets from his mind.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, in reality, in the Shoku Faction's castle...**

Ryuubi and Kanu were looking after Nagata. They had treated his injuries before putting him in bed to rest. As they looked after him, they saw his lips curl into a smile.

"He looks so at peace," Ryuubi observed. "So happy."

"I know," Kanu acknowledged. "I wonder what he's dreaming about."

"Probably about happy memories," Ryuubi guessed. She was glad that he managed to survive. She just wished he wasn't in a coma.

"Come on, Touka. The others are waiting for us," called Kanu as she headed for the door. Ryuubi nodded, but hesitated to leave as she looked at Nagata, before she went for the door as well. The sisters stood in the doorway and looked at Nagata one last time before they left.

"Nagata-sama, please wake up soon," Kanu pleaded.

"We need you," begged Ryuubi.

As Nagata slept, he experienced a dream of a life he could've had. In a dream, anything was possible, and he could have anything he desired. However, that didn't change the fact that it was all just a dream.

It was all a lie, but what a wonderful lie it was.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #1: CAUGHT**

"Easy there, Nagata-san," Aisha said as she supported him. Nagata had sprained his ankle during PE class and she was helping him over to the school's infirmary so Nurse Shion could take a look at him.

"Thanks for helping me," Nagata smiled gratefully and she blushed as she casually shrugged.

"No problem. It's just what friends do for each other. Oh, we're here," Aisha replied. She slid the door open. "Excuse me-!" She froze at the doorway.

"What?" Nagata asked as he looked inside and he gawked. "O...kay."

They caught Iori and Shion in the middle of a passionate make out session. The squinty-eyed boy had his arms wrapped around the school nurse. Shion had the buttons of her blouse undone as their lips were locked in a kiss.

The two parties stared at each other in awkward silence for several seconds before Nagata slid the door close.


	2. Assembling the Sovereigns

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **KRC:** I really wanna thank everyone who has supported this fic series. It really warms my heart to have fans like you. By the way, really needed to express this right now. I really thank everyone who has reviewed, faved and followed this story. You're great. Really encourages me to continue. However, when you're reviewing, it's not the same as on YouTube comments. When they say **review** , you need to provide **feedback**. You need to say what is good about the chapter, what you like about it, favorite moments, but also provide some criticism towards what the story is lacking. I mean, it's the only way I can improve. Like when your teacher offers commentary on your essays and such. It's not called flaming if it has a reasonable argument behind it. OK, now with that said, please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

As the Seal of Heaven shone its light upon Gaim, he felt a strange energy enter his body. His Kachidoki Arms armor began to glow as his Kachidoki Lockseed slowly changed from orange to blue.

" _Ringi! Daijaho!_ "

Suddenly, Braco fired a ball of pure Rinki straight into Gaim's chest. The force of the devastating attack causing sparks to explode spectacularly from Gaim's armor.

" _Daijaho!_ "

 **BOOM!**

"Argh!"

" _Daijaho!_ "

 **BOOM!**

"Argh!"

" _Daijaho! Daijaho! Daijaho!_ "

 **BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

"ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!"

Braco repeatedly blasted Gaim, causing him to yell painfully, each time he was hit. The last Daijaho blast managed to send him flying via a massive explosion.

Gaim crashed to the ground and groaned in pain as his armor flashed and vanished, leaving him in his powerless civilian form. The Shoku Warriors watched in shock at how easily Braco had defeated their lord while he was in his strongest form. At the same time, the Seal of Heaven dropped to the ground, completely inert.

Braco went and picked Nagata up by his collar. The young man stared up at Braco, his entire body aching in pain. Braco simply grinned as he looked into the eyes of his defeated opponent.

"You were a worthy opponent, Gaim. However, in every duel, there is always a loser." Braco pointed one of his fangs at Nagata's chest. " _Hiden Ringi. Madoku_."

Nagata's eyes widened as the single fang pierced his chest. As soon as it pierced his skin, Nagata let out a bloodcurdling scream as he arched his back. He continued to scream in agony before the pain became too much for him and he went still in Braco's grasp. Seeing as Nagata was no longer moving, Braco tossed his lifeless body aside like garbage.

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu rushed towards him and knelt down to gently cradle him in her arms. "Nagata-sama! Please wake up! Open your eyes! Please...please say something..." Kanu pleaded as she shook him, trying desperately to get him to wake up.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 2: Assembling the Sovereigns**

* * *

The hall was utterly quiet, so quiet that one might think no one was there. An unnatural silence in which even the mice and other creatures would dare not try to move. In the hall, taking either a seat or simply standing, were the famed Shoku Warriors. Only now their confidence was non-existent; their cheer was gone, their hope almost lost. It was a far cry from the group the people happily called their leaders and protectors.

The doctor stepped out into the hall where the Shoku Warriors were waiting.

"Well?" Karasu impatiently asked-more like demanded-him.

"He's alive, but only barely," the doctor confirmed. After they brought Nagata back to the castle, they immediately called for a doctor. It was an emergency and they needed to get him help. Right now, the Blue King of Shoku was lying in bed. He was so pale that he looked like he was dead. Only the slow rise and fall of his chest showed that he was still with them. At least he was no longer suffering in agony.

"Is there anything you can do for him?" asked Kanu.

The doctor shook his head.

"I am unfamiliar with this condition. You said he was poisoned, correct? I doubt I will be able to do anything for him," he answered.

"So you expect us to wait and watch him die?" Karasu growled as she started to draw her odachi.

"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do for him," apologized the doctor, but then he felt cold steel pressed against his throat and he blanched, eyes wide. Cold sweat began to bead on his face as Karasu's glare met with his eyes.

"That's not good enough," Karasu growled.

"Idunn-sama, what are you doing!?" Ryuubi cried.

"You will find a way to save him, or so help me, you will suffer," Karasu threatened the physician. Ryuubi, Chouhi, and Kanu immediately grabbed hold of Karasu, pulling her away from the frightened doctor.

"Unhand me! Let me go! Let me go!" Karasu yelled as she struggled.

"Please, I know you're upset, but threatening the doctor is not helping!" Ryuubi pleaded.

"That's right! It's a bad idea to do that!" chimed Chouhi.

"You must settle down! Nagata-sama would not approve of this!" shouted Kanu.

Hearing her cousin's name, Karasu relaxed. The girls released Karasu before she sheathed her sword. She was still angry, but she restrained it as she went into the room to check up on Nagata.

"He looks so happy right now, doesn't he?" Karasu observed as she took a closer look at Nagata. While unconscious, he was smiling. "He looks like he's sleeping peacefully. I wonder...I wonder what he's dreaming about."

"He'll be alright," Kanu attempted to reassure Karasu, but the girl just ignored her, lost in her anger.

* * *

Karasu was eventually able to calm down, remembering her training that allowed her to control her emotions. She made a half-hearted apology to the doctor before Kanu suggested they go to the meeting room. None of them were going to help Nagata just waiting outside of his room so they had to discuss their next move. Still, faces were grim as they took their seats.

"Naga-kun..." murmured Karasu as she sat at the Round Table with all of Nagata's officers. She knew this was going to happen to him someday, and her fears had become a reality. He had confronted a superior opponent and had paid dearly for it. Fortunately, he was still alive. Unfortunately, none of them knew how to wake him up.

' _And it's all their fault!_ ' Karasu thought angrily. She should've taken Nagata with her the first chance she got. That way he would be with her and not dying like he was right now. He stayed because of these girls and he came back because of these girls too. If these girls weren't around, then Nagata would have no reason to stay in this place. He would be back home where it was safe, and with her!

"Why won't Nagata-niichan wake up?" Chouhi asked, almost pleadingly. Fresh tears moistened Chouhi's eyes. She became strong because she never wanted to lose anyone ever again. She lost her parents, then her own grandfather, and now she was afraid of losing her big brother.

"He's been poisoned, Rinrin," Komei answered, trying to maintain composure. Her eyes were wet with tears. After seeing the state Nagata was in, she had gone to her books, desperate to find a cure to help him, but none of her books had any information on the 'Madoku' that Braco had used on Nagata. She would need to dig deeper to find anything similar and come up with an antidote.

"He should be dead," Iori spoke bluntly, causing everyone in the room to gasp and gawk at him.

"Airen, how could you say that?" admonished Kochu.

Iori shook his head. "No, I mean that Braco's Secret Ringi is called 'True Poison' for a reason. It should've killed Nagata as soon as it was injected into his body. But for some reason, Nagata survived." Iori was shocked that Nagata was even alive after being injected with a poison which, in its own way, could kill even death. He was glad but still shocked.

"So, you're saying that something interfered?" Kochu inquired. "Like a miracle?"

"It was likely the Seal of Heaven. It was in the process of awakening some kind of power in Nagata when Braco interfered and struck him down. That's probably what saved his life. It's the only explanation that makes sense," Iori concluded.

Karasu slammed her fist down on the table and stood up as she shouted, "WELL IT MAY HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT HE'S SLOWLY DYING! LET'S GO HUNT THAT SNAKE DOWN AND MAKE HIM REGRET EVER CROSSING US!"

"Idunn-sama, please calm down. We understand how you feel, but we can't exactly go and hunt Braco down." Komei tried to talk Karasu down, only to squeak and recoil in fear as Karasu cast her angry glare upon her.

"AND WHY THE HELL NOT!?"

"Because we haven't been able to track down the RinJyuKen's base," Chou'un said calmly.

"YOU'RE ALL USELESS!"

"Well now is not the time to go on a hunting trip while Nagata-sama is vulnerable," the bluenette retorted, unwavering in the face of Karasu's rage.

Like a switch had been flipped, Karasu seemed to wilt.

"Naga-kun..." Nagata's cousin whispered as she slowly sat back down. "He needs us right now, doesn't he...?" Her hands were trembling as she gritted her teeth, trying to fight back her tears.

If this place was going to turn into a war zone, she would have to keep him safe. She was so tempted right now to just grab Nagata and take him far away from this place. She would take him away and hide him someplace where nobody would be able to find him and hurt him again. However, Karasu had no doubt that these girls would track her down to retrieve their precious lord. She could pretty much kill them if they got in her way. It wasn't like she had any attachment to them. It was only Ryugen who would continuously be problematic. His marksmanship roughly equaled her own swordsmanship and it did her no good if she couldn't react quickly enough to a bullet.

Suddenly, Ryofu shattered her own cup of tea. Pieces of it lay in front of her as tea spilled onto the table. She had squeezed her cup so tight that it broke in her grip. She didn't seem to notice. Her face was shadowed by her bangs, but there was no denying the fact that she was angry right now.

"Ren-dono, you broke your cup," Chinkyuu spoke up.

"Ah..." Ryofu blinked and realized what she had done. "Sorry."

"We'll get a maid to clean it later."

"OK."

Chinkyuu sympathized with Ryofu. Her big sister figure was miserable and it was no mystery why. She genuinely liked the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword. Chinkyuu was just afraid that the man would try to steal Ryofu away from her. However, now such ideas just seemed so petty. She never wanted this to happen to him. Not ever. He was kind enough to take them in and give them a home. He didn't deserve this.

Kanu was silent as Ryuubi sat next to her, weeping. Morale was at an all-time low. To think that their Messenger of Heaven had fallen in battle. It was inconceivable. He always managed to rise victorious from each of his battles, but this time, it was different as he was tragically defeated. Worse yet, their enemy promised that he would return soon. Also, their enemy now had the Seal of Heaven in their possession. What were they to do now?

Komei spoke, "Looks like it's time."

"Time for what, Shuri?" Bacho asked as Komei put a scroll on the table and untied the string holding it close. "What's that?"

"A message Nagata-sama entrusted to me. He gave it to me after the Fall of Rakuyo. Even I do not know its contents. He told me to open it if anything were to happen to him," Komei informed everyone, as she unrolled the scroll. She scanned its contents and her eyes widened in surprise.

"So what does it say?"

Komei she cleared her throat and read its contents:

" _I have entrusted this message to Shokatsuryou Komei to be read in case I have fallen in battle. As such, this becomes my last official order. If I am unable to perform my duties as leader of the Shoku Faction due to an occurrence that would incapacitate me, or if I were to be killed in battle, I officially appoint Ryuubi Gentoku as my replacement._

Ryuubi gasped in surprised as all eyes fell upon the rosette.

" _While I wouldn't want to burden anyone with such a huge responsibility, I have faith in Ryuubi Gentoku. Follow her commands as you would mine."_

Komei finished, "It's signed and sealed by Nagata-sama."

"That sounds like a last will and testament," Iori frowned.

"Let me see that," insisted Karasu as she went over to Komei and took the scroll from her hands. She scanned it and grimaced as she confirmed, "Yep, this is Naga-kun's handwriting alright."

"But why would Nagata-sama appoint _me_ as his successor when there are so many others more worthy? Like Aisha or Iori-sama?" Ryuubi asked. She wasn't ready for something like this yet. Truly, Nagata-sama had been preparing her for this role, but this was just too soon. How could she be a leader of an entire faction? She was no warrior.

"Because he believes in you," said Kanu, deciding to trust her lover's words. "He wouldn't have chosen you as his replacement if he didn't have faith in you."

"But..." Ryuubi started.

"Touka-sama, if Gaim-sama believes that you can do this, then I believe you can do this as well," said Gien.

"I..." Ryuubi was speechless. She was starting to doubt herself. Could she do this? Would she be able to fill Nagata's shoes? Could she be a good leader? What could she say? All eyes were on her, waiting for her words. She felt them silently judging her. Was this the burdens of leadership, with everyone hanging on every word? What could she say right now?

Ryuubi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ' _What would Nagata-sama do at a time like this? What would he say?_ '

And opening her eyes, Ryuubi knew exactly what he would say or do.

"Nagata-sama wouldn't want us to give up or be sad," Ryuubi said and everyone paid attention to the rosette. She was drying her tears.

"Touka..." Kanu spoke softly.

"He told me once that we need to hold onto hope even when things seem hopeless. That is when we need hope the most. He knew that one day he wouldn't be able to aid us, but we can't let his defeat cause us to give up hope. If we do that, the enemy wins, and he would be very disappointed in us. We joined him because of his strength but he let us stay with him because we are strong as well. This is our home, and we need to defend it, even without his help."

Everyone was silent after Ryuubi finished her speech and let the words sink in. She was right. They could not just give up. This was their home and they needed to protect it now more than ever.

"But how are we going to beat Braco and whatever reinforcement he brings when he comes back?" Karasu asked. "We barely held our own against Braco, and that was when we had Naga-kun with us. I don't really like our chances if Braco comes back with an entire army with him."

"And Braco also has the Seal of Heaven, which will make him even more dangerous. It took all of us to even beat Chojo and yet it was still Hideyoshi and Nagata who finished her off," Iori added.

"We have allies, remember? All we need to do is reach out to them and ask for their help," Ryuubi answered. Allies, yes. They had allies among the other kingdoms. They could ask for help from Sonken, Sousou, Kosonsan and Ensho.

"Is that really a wise idea?" Karasu asked cautiously. "Wouldn't it make us look weak?"

"I don't think we have a choice. Pride and keeping up appearances are the last things we need to worry about, Oda-san," Iori argued.

"Iori-sama is right. The RinJyuKen hurt Nagata-sama and are going to attack us again while they believe we're at our most vulnerable. We can't let them get away with it," agreed Kanu.

"But Braco has the Seal of Heaven," Kochu reminded.

"Hideyoshi has the powers of the Black Turtle, and I heard that Baron and Zangetsu have also gained the power of the Sovereigns," said Komei. "With the power of three Sovereigns aiding us, we might be able to win."

"Who's to say that Sousou will even let us borrow Baron?" Bacho asked. Sousou didn't like to share, and when she did there was always a catch.

"She has to. She owes us a debt since Nagata-sama has saved her life before," Kanu reminded.

"Well, that should work in our favor then," smiled Bacho. She may not have liked Sousou, but she knew the blonde loli had honor. She was willing to take the blame for her father's death to preserve his honor. She would no doubt repay this debt she owed Nagata.

"I'll get my brother to help as well," Iori offered.

"We should also ask for help from Ensho. We may need Knuckle's help as well," said Chou'un.

"We also need to evacuate the villagers," urged Komei, reminding everyone that it wasn't just them in the village. "If Braco chooses to attack with an army, they'll just be caught in the crossfire. It won't be safe for them."

"The less we have to worry about the villagers, the more we can focus on defending ourselves," Karasu summed up in agreement.

"Alright, spread the word and get all the villagers out of the village and someplace safe. We'll also need to provide them with armed escorts," Ryuubi commanded.

"I'll help with the evacuation," Kanu volunteered.

"Me too," Chouhi added.

"Are we going to let Nagata-sama stay here or send him away with the villagers?" Bacho inquired. "He's pretty vulnerable right now."

"I don't think it's a good idea to move him. He'll be way too exposed and we risk losing him if the enemy ambushes us. He's much safer with us protecting him," Karasu countered. ' _Especially with_ _ **me**_ _protecting him._ '

"Alright, now that we have that settled, let's defend our home!" Ryuubi concluded.

While everyone was talking about calling on their allies for assistance, Karasu just thought about Nagata's condition. This was the reason she wanted to take Nagata from this dangerous world. He shouldn't be here fighting monsters. He should be back home, with his family, and especially her. If they were back home right now, they could be doing anything but fighting in wars or battling monsters. He was just too young and he didn't deserve to die like this.

She narrowed her eyes. While she blamed _those girls_ for being the reason why Nagata was in this place, right now her anger was focused on Braco. _Those girls_ may have been the reason he was in this era, but it was _**Braco**_ who almost took his life. Once she saw him again, she was going to skin him to make herself a new pair of snakeskin boots.

* * *

After the meeting, Kanu went to her room to check her weapon for any need of repair or maintenance. She would need it in the upcoming battle and she could not afford to let it get dull now. Laying the blade across her lap, she took out her whetstone and prepared to use it to sharpen the edge. As she did so, her mind began to wander.

Kanu's greatest fear in life was losing those most precious to her. She had experienced a great tragedy in her life at a young age. The loss of her family had left quite an impression on her. While she remembered the grief and sorrow, she turned those feelings into motivation. She didn't want to be weak nor did she wish for others to suffer. That was why she decided to discard her identity as a 'girl' and become a 'warrior' instead. Bandits who preyed on the weak were her enemies and she would be the blade of justice to punish them. However, she still didn't feel completely fulfilled. No matter what she did, or how many bandits she fought, the land was no closer to peace than she had hoped.

And one day she heard the stories from an old prophet about the Messenger of Heaven who would descend upon the land to usher in an age of peace. Continuing on her quest for peace and justice, Kanu sought out the Messenger of Heaven. If any bandits stood in her path, she would defeat them. If any obstacles stood in her way, she would bring them down. She did not give up on her quest and finally her persistence and determination bore fruit...and it was an orange.

She came across bandits attempting to harm another innocent and intervened. That was when she witnessed the sight of a Fruit of Heaven descending on the poor man. Right before her eyes he transformed into a warrior in blue with orange armor, wielding a pair of blades. Such a sight amazed her. After the bandits were scared off, the two traveled together. She believed he was the Messenger of Heaven, but he had doubts. As he had nowhere else to go, he joined her on her journey and they came across a town. They also met Chouhi and it was also in that town when she witnessed the Messenger of Heaven's true fighting prowess as he defeated a demonic Rinrinshi and his army of Rinshi zombie warriors. Since then, Kanu had sworn her loyalty to the Messenger of Heaven.

He was her lord at first, but Kanu began to develop feelings for him the more time she spent traveling with him and getting to know him. He was more than just a warrior. He also had impressive cooking skills. While she was willing to take on the burden of earning them money for their traveling funds, he wanted to help in his own way. So, while she waited tables in restaurants, he would be cooking in the kitchen.

And his food was amazing.

Kanu stood by the Messenger of Heaven since the day they met, even helped to train him to sharpen his skills. She was with him when Touka Village was attacked by a bandit army, she was with him to end the Yellow Turban Rebellion before it began, and she was also there during the Siege of Korou Fortress. She was always at his side, fighting against evil, and she was glad to be serving him.

And she was happy when they officially became lovers. She was willing to admit that she could be both 'Aisha the Girl' and 'Kanu Unchou the Warrior' in his presence.

But right now, Kanu just felt worthless. She failed to protect the one she loved and now he was lying in bed, poisoned by Braco. She needed to be strong, not just for him, but also for everyone's sake.

"Nagata-sama, I'm so sorry..."

* * *

Chouhi was upset and miserable, unable to eat even though she'd gone to the kitchen to do just that. Her big brother was lying in bed, nearly killed in battle. He was alive, which was good, but he wasn't waking up. He was just lying there, asleep, and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Normally, Chouhi's solution to any problem was to fight it and beat it, but that wouldn't work here. As far as she knew, Nagata was sick and was growing weaker. It was like what happened to her grandfather. She remembered how old age took him as he wasted away before her eyes.

She missed her grandfather, and she missed her parents, and she used to cry a lot because of her loneliness. Then she swore to herself that she would be a strong girl and never cry again. But now she was crying and she hated it. Running away so no one would see, she hid in her room, trying to dry her tears. She had lost her family but gained a new one. She had Kanu and Ryuubi as her big sisters, and Nagata was her big brother. She couldn't bear to lose any of them and she didn't want to.

"Nagata-niichan, please don't leave me..."

* * *

Ryuubi sat in her room, surrounded by the Gaim dolls and toys she had collected since moving into the castle. Usually being surrounded by her collection made her feel happy or even giddy, but now it did anything but give her joy. Her mind was a whirlwind as she hugged a Gaim doll to her chest, wondering how she would fill in his shoes.

Ryuubi used to be a fangirl. When the stories of the Armored War Gods spread, the one that truly earned Ryuubi's admiration was the one known as the Ultimate Sword, Armored War God Gaim. When she first met him, it was like a dream come true. When he volunteered to help her find her sword, she was ecstatic. When he offered to train her on how to use a sword, she was happy beyond belief. Her admiration gradually turned into adoration. She had fallen in love with her lord and teacher, Armored War God Gaim.

When she saw him at his lowest, after the fire that took the lives of the citizens of Rakuyo, she kissed him without hesitation. She did it because she wanted to comfort him. She knew that Nagata and her sworn sister Kanu were lovers, but that didn't stop her. She just wanted to help him feel better.

The state he was in broke her heart. She wanted so much just to see him get back up like he usually did. Only, that was not going to be happening until they found a way to cure him. The Seal of Heaven saves his life, but it couldn't stop Braco from putting him in a coma.

And now Ryuubi was his replacement as leader. Could she take his place? Those were some big shoes she would have to fill. She wasn't sure if she could be the leader that Nagata was, but she wasn't going to refuse such a request. It was his wish that she took over some day and she was going to do her absolute best for him.

"Nagata-sama, I swear I won't let you down..."

* * *

Chou'un stood at the castle walls, watching as the soldiers helped the civilians begin with the evacuation. All that was needed was a place for them to evacuate to. Despite the importance of the task, Chou'un felt her thoughts drifting back to Nagata.

Chou'un always thought Nagata was fun to tease. She wore clothes that looked provocative and flirted with him just to get a reaction, and he never disappointed her. While she flirted and teased him a lot, he never once lost respect for her and she was glad that he accepted her as one of his retainers and generals. She had been looking for a lord to serve and saw great potential in the man who would one day be known as the Blue King.

And while he never took her flirting very seriously, that was just how she conveyed her interest. Just like Kanu, Ryuubi, Bacho and Ryofu, she had also fallen in love with him. Unfortunately, he never realized it. She blamed her flirtatious attitude. He just thought she was playing around and never took it seriously.

When he woke up, she was going to tell him her sincere feelings. No flirting, no teasing, just upfront and sincere. She didn't want to lose this chance.

"I'd do anything just to see your smile again, Nagata-sama."

* * *

Bacho was training with Batai outside the castle. It was the only thing she could do to stop herself from breaking down right now. She needed to be strong and she needed to get stronger to protect their kingdom. They often relied on their Armored War Gods to handle the monsters, but Bacho could not afford that. Nagata was in a coma and wouldn't be able to protect them.

For everyone in their faction, Nagata was like a pillar of hope and strength. He was always positive and optimistic, that things could get better and only get worse if they did nothing. It was that sort of hope that allowed Bacho to resist Zhong until Nagata came to her rescue.

She respected Nagata, and also considered him a good friend. When he tried to stop her from avenging her father over a misunderstanding, she had slapped him in the face. He forgave her since he understood her feelings.

She also fell in love with Nagata because he was both kind and strong. He was not someone who would abandon a friend in need, no matter what. He would do all he could to save people, and would become devastated whenever he failed, but he would rise back up to continue fighting. That was the type of guy she had fallen in love with.

"It's not the same without you, Nagata-sama..."

* * *

Komei was studying medical books in her room to try and find a way to help Nagata. Among the books in her collection were some that they managed to salvage from the Imperial Library. It was fortunate that the fire did not destroy all the precious books and scrolls contained within. It would be such a waste for such knowledge to vanish just like that.

Komei slammed another book shut and wiped the tears from her eyes as she held her head in frustration. There were medicines that could help Nagata, but nothing that could cure him or wake him up.

When Komei first met Nagata, she didn't know he was an Armored War God. He didn't think he needed to mention it unless it was important. After she found out, she had all kinds of questions for him. When she first heard of them, she wanted to know all about them. She wanted to know about their powers, their armor, and the equipment they carried. She wanted to know so much about the other world called Helheim and the Inves that called it home. He didn't reject her request and answered her questions as patiently and gave her as much information as he could give.

And each time he got stronger, with new armor, she added a new entry into her journal. One day, she would have her findings published, but right now she had more important things to do. As the Shoku Faction's strategist, she needed to make sure they were ready for the upcoming storm. Braco was going to return and he would decimate them unless they had a plan.

The tiny Inves she had summoned to help carry more books to her. She gave the tiny creature her thanks and sent it away before she resumed her studies.

"Nagata-sama, I'm not giving up..."

* * *

Gien didn't really know Nagata like the others did. When Ryuubi told her about him, she assumed that Nagata would be taller and more muscular. What she got instead was a young man who looked normal. How exactly did a guy like that become leader of an entire faction?

And then she saw him in action, and she understood. While her loyalty was to Ryuubi first, she swore loyalty to Gaim as well and had joined him in battle. Seeing Ryuubi so miserable and devastated broke Gien's heart and she hoped she could help. Right now, she would support Ryuubi like everyone else was. She also prayed that Nagata would wake up.

"Gaim-sama, you better wake up soon. Touka-sama needs you..."

* * *

Ryofu couldn't relax even while being surrounded by her pets. She could only stare at the orange she was holding in her hand, as the fruit reminded her of him. She didn't know how, why or even when she began having these feelings for Nagata. The only thing that mattered was that she did have these feelings for him and she would do anything to keep him safe.

And yet she failed to do that, just like how she failed to keep Totaku safe. And it was Nagata who once again came to their rescue as he helped get her away from Chojo while the others rescued Totaku.

And he had given them all a new home. Because of that, Ryofu swore her loyalty to Nagata and she appointed herself to be his bodyguard.

Her pets also liked him, and he even admitted that he had a pet as well. It was just sad that he was separated from his dog. So, she let him play with her pets as well to make him feel better.

She also liked his cooking. He made delicious food too.

He was also very warm and she liked his smile. She wished she could smile like that.

Oh, and she liked his kisses. His lips tasted so sweet.

"Nagata-sama..."

* * *

Totaku was grateful to Nagata for a lot of things. He did help her get her own Armored War Gods. He was also one of the few who believed in her innocence when she was accused of being a cruel tyrant. And when her reputation was ruined and she lost her home, Nagata helped to reunite her with her friends and gave them all a new home. She might be working as a maid now, but she was grateful to him so the least she could do was to return his kindness by serving him.

Now, she felt even more helpless than when she was a prisoner. Now the man who had done so much for her was sick in bed, poisoned by a venom so deadly nothing was said to survive it. Totaku felt so horrible and confused. Wasn't there anything she could do to help Nagata?

It seemed that there wasn't anything she could do, as not even Komei's awesome intelligence or Ryugen's knowledge of the enemy shed any light into saving Nagata from the poison.

Suddenly, the castle seemed like a darker and lonelier place.

"Hideyoshi-kun...I wish you were here..."

* * *

Kaku grunted as she pushed a set of scrolls away. As a former strategist, she knew her way around books and scrolls. So she helped look through Shoku's collection for anything that might help. Ancient remedies, legends, folk tales, _anything_ which might lend a clue to getting Nagata to wake up and save his life!

Kaku herself might have some trust issues, but so far Nagata hadn't proven her wrong. He was a bit lenient for a lord, kinda like Totaku, but he was also a fierce warrior. When he was in armor, he could fight against all kinds of odds. Of course, when it came to paperwork, he would rather much avoid it.

Kaku was also a bit jealous since Nagata's cooking skills were superior to her own. She would ask him for lessons, but the former strategist was just too prideful.

Nagata even made her head maid and while it wasn't a position she would covet under any normal circumstance, she took the reins and made sure the maids would able to work to the best of their ability and beyond. She would also make sure Totaku didn't slack off, but there was very little possibility of that happening. Totaku may use her cuteness to get her way, but when it came to housework she wouldn't shirk off.

"You really know how to give me a headache, don't you...?"

* * *

When Kochu first met Nagata, it was when bandits had kidnapped her daughter, forcing her and her husband to do terrible things. Kochu was to assassinate someone and Iori was forced to fight the other Armored War Gods. In spite of their deception, Nagata, and his friends decided to help them. He went with Iori to take care of the Rinrinshi while Kanu, Chouhi, Komei and Sonshoko went to rescue Riri. Afterward, they went their separate ways. But when Touka Village was under attack, Kochu and Iori both helped to defend it and became members of the Shoku Warriors.

Iori had brought so much happiness into her life, but it was Nagata who gave it purpose, who gave them an extended family. Now because of those two men, her daughter had a father and had so many big sisters to look up to and perhaps would be a big sister herself soon enough.

But now Braco had threatened to take it all away.

Kochu gripped her bow. She would not allow it!

"Nagata-sama, I won't allow them to hurt anyone again. I promise you..."

* * *

Iori watched from the castle walls as soldiers marched and patrols came in from different areas to report if Braco or his forces were coming in. The men were afraid of the upcoming battle. Nonetheless, they performed their duties. Iori's eyes were opened slightly and he looked downright draconic like his namesake with the aura of fury coming off of him.

Iori was angry, incredibly angry. His best friend was in a coma and there was nothing he could do to help him. But he couldn't let his anger take control. He needed to think of what to do next. He needed a plan and decide his next move.

Looking at his Budou Lockseed, Iori wondered if he had accessed this 'Ryugen-Yomi' form, could he have saved Nagata, but more importantly, would he be able to stop Braco from landing the killing blow? Iori's mind was plagued by what-ifs and he didn't like it. He didn't like to think of what he would do if he ever lost his best friend.

He never had anyone like that, a friend who saw him and not his family's wealth, name or reputation. Nagata respected him and befriended him because of his qualities, not because of his family's wealth and name. They became brothers-in-arms, fighting alongside each other, and Iori had gained a much better and bigger family thanks to these bonds.

As his grip tightened around his Budou Lockseed, he willed it to change, but nothing happened. What was he doing wrong? How would he be able to do it again?

What was he missing?

"Nagata, I'll make sure to use all my power to protect everyone. This I swear..."

* * *

Karasu stabbed the Braco doll in the face and pinned it to her desk. That's right. She made a doll of Braco only so she could destroy it with her dagger.

To say she wasn't in a good mood was an understatement. She was stuck in this primitive era, forced to play nice with the girls who wanted to steal her beloved Naga-kun from her, and her benefactors refused to even help her. She just _knew_ they had something to treat Braco's poison, but would not share it since Naga-kun was still their enemy and they needed him out of the way.

Oh, she was filled with anger and hatred, but this time, it wasn't aimed at the girls. No, this time, it was all aimed towards Braco, the creature who had put her beloved second cousin in a coma.

For Karasu, growing up as the heiress of the Oda Clan's main family was a lot of pressure and responsibility. Ever since the day she could walk, she was trained and groomed to become the next head of the Oda Clan. Her father insisted on it, and she was forced to grow up.

But then, her relatives came to visit. It was her Aunt Ruby, her husband, and their son Nagata. They were pretty young when they met and Karasu didn't have any friends her age to play with. But then, when the adults were having a meeting, Nagata invited her to play. At first, she didn't know what to do, but Nagata showed her and they played all sorts of games.

And he even picked a flower for her. It became one of her most precious possessions alongside the memory of the smile he gave her.

They were second cousins, so marriage between them was not impossible. In fact, she swore that when her father stepped down and she became the Oda Clan Head, she would take Nagata as her husband. It didn't matter if he was from a branch family of the clan, he was the one she wanted and she would not let anything or anyone stop her. And if any harm came to him, she would make sure those who caused it would suffer retribution.

Now it was time to make good on that promise.

"Naga-kun, I'll make sure he pays for what he did to you..."

* * *

The crystal ball Sousou had given to Nagata was in his office. When he wasn't using it to call anyone, he used it instead as a paperweight for his documents. The Shoku Faction wasn't the only group who had received these magical crystal balls. Sousou also had others delivered to the other factions in the Alliance. This way, they could speak to each other during emergencies.

Now, Ryuubi would be using the crystal ball to call for help. She was sitting in Nagata's chair, facing the sphere as she tapped on it to call Sousou. Just tapping the crystal ball wasn't enough to activate it. She needed to focus clearly on who wanted to call. Otherwise, it wouldn't work. Fortunately, Ryuubi clearly wanted to speak to Sousou as the crystal ball responded to her desire. It glowed briefly as Ryuubi waited for a response. She just hoped she got an answer. After nearly a minute of waiting, Sousou's face could be seen staring back at her.

" _Hello?_ " Sousou responded.

"Sousou-san, hello," greeted Ryuubi.

" _Ryuubi, why are you calling me?_ " Sousou asked curtly.

"Well, to be honest, I need to ask you for a huge favor," Ryuubi answered.

" _A favor?_ " Sousou cocked an eyebrow. " _Please, elaborate._ "

"We need to borrow Baron to protect our home." Touka then explained what was happening and Sousou listened as she understood the situation. A deep frown came to her lips as she heard of Gaim's condition. Shoku was now in a bad situation, put there by one of their worst enemies.

" _So, Gaim fell in battle. That is unfortunate."_

"Please, can we borrow Baron from you?"

" _I would be happy to lend Baron to you. I do owe Gaim a debt for saving my life. However, I can't force Baron to help you. I can tell him for you, but whether he agrees or not is entirely up to him."_

"Thank you, Sousou-san. You have my gratitude."

" _Just consider this as my way of repaying a debt, Ryuubi."_

The call was disconnected. That was a good start, but Ryuubi wasn't done yet. There were still the other factions to call for help.

"Alright, now to call the others," Ryuubi decided.

Karasu was watching from behind the door. She opened it a crack so she could peek inside. She spied on Ryuubi as she called their allies, asking for assistance. For a moment, Karasu imagined Nagata sitting in that chair. He would, of course, be doing the same thing if he wasn't in a coma. This place was important to him and he would do anything to protect it, even lay his life down for it.

' _This place is not worth your life, Naga-kun!_ ' Karasu thought darkly as she turned and walked away. ' _If this does not make you see it, then somehow I will!_ '

Karasu went into Helheim Forest to blow off some steam. Stabbing Braco's doll just wasn't enough to calm her down and so she needed a more effective outlet. The girls were out of the question, for obvious reasons. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed them right now.

Once in Helheim, she started killing every Inves she could find and any Inves that stood in her path. She was merciless, brutal, and relentless as she cut the creatures down. They fell at her blade despite trying to fight back. Some fled when they realized that they were no match for her, and she chased after them so she could strike them down. She imagined Braco in their place as they were slain by her. It made her feel a lot better as each kill slowly satiated her rage. However, it did not go completely. The rage still burned within her, but not as intensely as before.

After her little 'workout', she returned to the castle. While everyone prepared themselves for the upcoming battle, Karasu went to watch Nagata sleep. His upper body was bare, save for the bandages used to dress his wounds. Without his shirt, the Oda Clan medallion he wore was clearly displayed. It never made sense to her why he never wore it out in the open, but she wasn't going to question the decision. To be honest, it amused her that he didn't since her father would get offended rather childishly simply because Nagata would not wear it like the other men in the family.

She knelt at his bedside and gently stroked his hair.

"I'm not going to leave you, Naga-kun. I promise. I'm going to save you. I'm going to save you and make sure you're safe. I'll take you away to someplace where nobody will ever hurt you again," Karasu swore. "I love you, Naga-kun, so please...wake up."

This was where Ryuubi found her as she came into the room to check up on him.

"Idunn-sama?" Ryuubi asked politely.

"Why...?" Karasu asked softly.

"Excuse me?" Ryuubi asked and was startled as Karasu suddenly stood up and whirled around to face her. The rosette was shocked by Karasu's appearance. Her eyes were bloodshot and moist with tears.

"You..." Karasu hissed.

"Are you alright?" Ryuubi asked kindly as she reached out to Karasu, only to have her hand slapped away.

"He shouldn't be here! He shouldn't have to be stuck in this world, risking his life for you all! He shouldn't be fighting! He should be back home with me!" Karasu screamed at Ryuubi.

"Idunn-sama...I know you're worried about him. Trust me, I understand..." Ryuubi attempted to placate her, only for Karasu to suddenly advance on her. The black-haired girl grabbed hold of Ryuubi's shoulders and pinned her against the wall.

"No, you don't understand anything! To you, Naga-kun is just someone you flock to because of his power! You surround him because of his strength! You use him like some kind of weapon to protect you! And now he's going to die because of you! You think of him as your god, but do you know what a god really is?! It's just a symbol and nothing more! Where I come from gods are just concepts for people to hold on to! But that's just it! If gods truly did exist, there would be no tragedies, no suffering, and no evil in the world! But Naga-kun can't prevent such things from happening! He's just a boy!"

The vitriol of Karasu's words was sharp as it cut deep to the core. She came to this world with the express purpose of bringing Nagata back home. Unfortunately, she knew it wouldn't be easy. He had convinced himself that he was needed in this world.

Ryuubi's shoulders hurt from being squeezed but then she noticed the tears running down Karasu's face. Slowly, she reached up and took hold of Karasu's arms before she slid her hands up to her shoulders. Ryuubi then did the unexpected, she embraced Karasu. She froze from the unfamiliar yet warm embrace as Ryuubi held her close. Her eyes widened as she trembled.

"We understand more than you think. We know he's not a god, but that's why Nagata-sama is so amazing. It's not his power that drew us to him. It's the strength of his heart. He may not be immortal, and he may not truly be a god, but his actions inspire people. He gives us hope, something to believe in, and rally us together. We never once thought of using him as a mere symbol. We love Nagata-sama, just like you," Ryuubi spoke softly.

Karasu wanted to scream, to protest that she loved him more, but what came out was only a weak whispered.

"Then why...?" Karasu demanded. "Why must this happen to him?"

"You should know the answer to that," Ryuubi stated.

"I do...?" Karasu thought about it. It was true that she knew why Nagata was lying in bed. It was because he was fighting for the people he loved. She could never understand that part about him. How he could be so selflessly noble. But she admired that trait of his. She admired him because he cared so much for others.

And she loved him because he genuinely cared about her, just like Aunt Ruby.

Ryofu had been watching and was ready to intervene when things turned rough, but when Ryuubi managed to embrace Karasu and talk her down, she didn't move to break them apart. Instead, she continued to watch as Ryuubi comforted her lord's weeping cousin.

The tender moment would've continued if Totaku hadn't come with some urgent news.

"Excuse me," Totaku spoke, getting their attention.

"What is it, Yue?" Ryuubi asked her.

"It's Kada-sensei. He says he's come to help."

That news surprised Ryuubi.

"Who's that?" Karasu asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"A doctor who might be able to help Nagata-sama," Ryuubi answered. A bit more hope welled up inside of her upon hearing this news.

* * *

Kada was immediately brought to Nagata's room to examine him. He checked the Blue King's pulse and his eyes as Iori watched. The people in this world lacked access to modern medical equipment and medicine, but they still managed to come up with some impressive medical discoveries and techniques. Kada's methods and those of his order were just one of several such discoveries.

"How did you know we needed help?" Iori asked curiously. While he was thankful for Kada's help, he was confused as to how the doctor even knew they would need his help. Last he heard, Kada had vanished into the mountains where a hermit supposedly lived, wise to several forms of healing yet to be developed at large.

"A wise old sage told me," Kada answered, his gaze not breaking from Nagata's form.

"A _sage_?" Iori repeated.

"Yes, I'm currently studying new techniques under him. It was he who sensed the disturbance and sent me to assist you." Iori nodded, seeing no lies, but filed the knowledge of such a man away for later.

"So, what's the diagnosis, Kada-sensei?" Iori asked.

"I've never come across something like this in my life. And you say he was poisoned?" Kada asked.

"That's right. Nagata was poisoned by a Rinrinshi warrior called Braco, a member of the Five Venom Fists. He has a technique called 'True Poison' that can end someone's life instantly," Iori answered.

"And yet Gaim-sama was able to survive. Miraculous."

"We think it was due to the Seal of Heaven."

"Hm...Is there a way to reverse the effects of the poison?" Kada asked.

"Well...based on what I can remember about Braco, his fangs are not only capable of causing death, but they can also bring the dead back to life."

"His fangs can resurrect the dead?" Kada asked, eyes wide. Iori nodded. However, this was an entirely different world so not all the details would be accurate. Maybe his fangs could turn someone into a zombie or something.

"That's what I can remember, at least," Iori confirmed. "Kada-sensei, please take care of Nagata, alright?"

"As a doctor, I took an oath. Rest assured, I will help him," swore Kada. "I swear by the WAY OF THE FIVE GRAINS!"

"Please don't shout."

"Sorry."

Iori asked, "Kada-sensei, you know a lot about Ki, don't you?"

"The-" Kada started but paused when Iori gave him a warning look. "Well, in my guild, members are required to study Ki until they are able to master it. That is why I went to the old sage. I was told he could help me understand Ki better."

"So, could you read someone's Ki?" Iori questioned.

"If I'm in direct contact with them, yes," Kada confirmed. Iori held out his hand. "Ryugen-sama?"

"There's something I need you to check for me," Iori requested.

"You want me to look at your Ki," Kada guessed and Iori nodded to confirm. "Well, I'm not sure what this would accomplish, but alright." Kada took hold of Iori's hand and closed his eyes as he began to murmur a few words.

* * *

 **KRC:** Everyone is still reeling from Nagata's defeat and condition and they are planning for when Braco returns. They decide to call for help, even if it risks making them look weak and lose their standing among the other factions. After all, reputation is an important aspect among allies. It determines if you are worthy of being heard and considered an equal. But desperate times call for swallowing one's pride and reaching out to your allies in desperate measures. That's what they are there for. Also, Karasu is very upset. And that's an understatement. She's PISSED! There's no telling what she'll do because of this. She's likely to kill everyone and take Nagata away even if it meant taking extreme measures. Anyway, please don't forget to **fave** , **follow** and **REVIEW**.

 **TFP:** Now we see how things are developing outside of Nagata's dreams. The people are grasping for hope and things seem bleak. Braco's threat is hanging over their heads and their confidence has been broken. Kada seems to have some ideas, but how can one ordinary man truly think he can defeat a poison which can even kill death?

* * *

Later that night, Iori went to tuck Riri in bed when he found Kochu by their daughter's bedside. Already, their little girl was fast asleep.

"Hey, I came to put Riri to bed, but clearly that's been done," said Iori in a hushed tone as to not wake up their daughter.

"She was asking for you. She was wondering what you've been up to," replied Kochu quietly.

"I was busy fortifying the defenses with the others," Iori answered. "Does Riri know about...?"

"All I told her was that Nagata-sama is sick and needs his rest."

"Good, we don't want to worry her too much."

"How are you feeling right now?" Kochu asked and Iori sighed.

"Lousy. Very, very lousy. I couldn't do anything to save Nagata, even with the power I have."

"You possess Zangetsu's equipment," stated Kochu. "Why didn't you tell me you had them?"

Iori looked to his wife. He could see it in her eyes. She was upset that he kept this a secret from her. She felt as if he didn't trust her. It wasn't that he didn't trust her. He just wasn't sure how he could explain it to her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept it from you," Iori apologized.

"So, I assume that you defeated _that man_. That's how you got them," guessed Kochu. Nise had used Masataka's GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed to pose as Zangetsu-Shin, dragging the White Devil's name through the mud. Masataka was still trying to repair the reputation Nise had ruined.

"Yeah, I did. He didn't put much of a fight before I took them from him," Iori answered.

"Hopefully, he will think twice before he tries to do anything evil again," Kochu replied.

"I doubt he'll be causing us any more trouble from now on," Iori assured with a smile.

"So, why have you not returned them to their proper owner?" Kochu asked. Iori sighed. He could tell Kochu that they were rightfully his as he won them through combat. But that was just a weak excuse. Instead, he told her why he really needed them.

"I just needed more power, to be stronger," he answered.

"You're already strong, Airen," she reassured him as she caressed his face.

"Not strong enough it seems. I wasn't able to save Nagata."

"Airen..."

"I need to keep getting stronger in order to protect you and Riri. To protect our home and our friends. If only I could figure out how I did it when I fought Sadako-san," Iori said in frustration.

"You'll figure something out. I know you will," Kochu reassured as she kissed his cheek. "Now come on, let's go to bed. It's been a long day."

"Yeah, I'll be right there. Just need to give Riri her goodnight kiss," he said. Kochu nodded and went to their bedroom. Iori gazes at Riri and smiled. His expression hardened as he thought about what he would do in order to protect his wife and stepdaughter.

"Daddy?" Riri asked as she opened her eyes, looking up at him.

"Thought your mother already put you to sleep," he said as he gently patted her head.

"I wanted to say goodnight to you," she smiled.

"So you just pretended to be asleep. Clever," Iori smiled, amused. Riri smiled back at the compliment but then she frowned sadly.

"Will Nagata-niichan be OK?" Riri asked.

"He's fine. He's just resting since he's sick," Iori lied, reassuring his stepdaughter. "And you should be asleep since it's late."

"OK, Daddy," Riri smiled. "Goodnight."

Iori kissed his stepdaughter's forehead and whispered, "Goodnight, my sweet little angel."

What lengths would he go to obtain more power? There was no question about it. He would do anything in order to protect them, even if it meant getting his hands dirty. The ends justify the means after all.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #2A: CHESS MASTER**

"Checkmate," Mitsuki concluded their 101st chess match.

"Grr...!" Juniku growled. "Rematch, tomorrow!"

"OK," Mitsuki shrugged before he left.

Juniku studied the chessboard with narrowed eyes. She then spent the day practicing by herself, before she practiced against Shibai so she could formulate a new strategy. Finally, the time for their rematch arrived.

"Hah! Checkmate!" Juniku declared victoriously. She crossed her arms and stood proudly as she turned her nose up at him. Mitsuki would realize her superiority! He would grovel at her feet as she gloated how she finally defeated him! It would be sweet! It would be grand! It would be amazing!

Mitsuki then did the unexpected and patted her on the head.

"Congratulations, Keifa. Good game," he said before he left the room. She gaped at him with wide eyes as he left.

"Wait! You're supposed to wallow in defeat as I prove I'm superior to you! This isn't how it's supposed to happen! Get back here, Baron and let me crush you for real! Get back here!" Juniku stomped her feet in frustration.

Riten and Ukin observed as Juniku threw a tantrum.

"That girl's got issues," Ukin commented.

Riten nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI #2B: REN MEETS ZWEISS**

Zweiss was a black and white Corgi owned by Nagata Oda. He was a sweet little dog, loyal, playful and absolutely adorable. Zweiss was also a pretty good guard dog. He may not look very tough, but his bite was bad as his bark.

His cute appearance got everyone to underestimate him, and those who did not see the danger of provoking the demon within paid an awful price.

But enough of the dark and grim topics. Right now, Zweiss was heading to Nagata's school. Apparently, Nagata had forgotten his lunch. So, carrying Nagata's bento lunchbox, which was wrapped in a blue handkerchief, Zweiss set off towards Nagata's school to deliver the lunchbox personally.

How a dog could have the intelligence to even know when his master had forgotten their lunch and decided to deliver the lunch instead of eating it himself was a mystery on its own. Still, it was pretty amazing.

Zweiss found Nagata's school. The gate was closed but Zweiss knew how to slip through the bars of the gate. He first put down the lunch and squeezed his tiny body through. Then he grabbed the lunchbox on the other side and pulled it under the gate. It was lucky that there was enough space between the ground and the bottom of the gate.

Zweiss took a moment to admire his master's school, sitting on his butt with his tongue hanging out. He let out a happy bark as he caught his master's scent and picked up the lunchbox to deliver it personally. He entered through the front door of the main building. The door wasn't closed so he managed to get inside. Sniffing the air for his master's scent, Zweiss went looking for him.

Zweiss climbed up the stairs, which was quite a feat for a small dog with short legs. Once Zweiss was at the top of the steps, he looked left and right as he sniffed the air to catch Nagata's scene again. Then he noticed as someone stood in front of him. He looked up with his tongue hanging out of his mouth to see who had found him.

Ren stared down at the little Corgi as Sekito walked over and planted himself by her foot. Sekito and Zweiss looked at each other and began communicating. It came out in barks, but what came out could be translated as this:

 **Sekito** : "What are you doing here?"

 **Zweiss** : "Bringing Master's food. Master forgot food."

 **Sekito** : "Where is your Master?"

 **Zweiss** : "Looking for him now."

Ren spoke quietly, "Cute doggie." She knelt down and picked up Zweiss who did not oppose the attention. Ren brought him closer, allowing Zweiss to lick her face. She read the name on his collar. "Your name is 'Zweiss'?"

Zweiss barked in response.

Sekito barked and brought Ren's attention to the lunchbox. Still holding Zweiss, she picked up the lunchbox and looked at the name on the handkerchief wrapped around the box.

"This is for Nagata?" Ren asked. "OK, I'll take you there."

It was very hot outside and Nagata didn't want to sit outside to have lunch. Instead, he and his friends put their desks together to eat their lunch together in the classroom. As Nagata opened his bag to grab the lunch he packed, he discovered that he couldn't find his lunchbox.

"What's wrong, Nagata-san?" Aisha asked.

"I think I forgot my lunch. Guess I have to either go hungry or go buy bread," he answered.

"Or you could share our lunches," Sei offered.

Nagata looked at the menma she had covering her rice and grimaced. Menma was okay in small portions, but her lunch was practically mostly menma.

"I wouldn't mind sharing some of mine," added Aisha.

"Me neither!" spoke up Sui.

"Nah, it's fine. Maybe I can get some leftovers or something," Nagata politely declined.

The door of the classroom opened and Ren stepped inside. Nagata looked over and his eyes widened as he saw what Ren was holding.

"Zweiss!?" Nagata exclaimed in disbelief.

Zweiss jumped out of Ren's arms and ran towards Nagata. In an impressive show of agility and acrobatics, Zweiss jumped from desk to desk before landing on Nagata's desk. The Corgi began to rapidly lick Nagata's face as he tried to fend off the Corgi's affectionate assault.

"Zweiss, quit it!" Nagata laughed. Zweiss' tongue was tickling him.

"Nagata," said Ren softly as she showed him the lunchbox.

"Hey, that's my lunchbox," said Nagata once he managed to calm Zweiss down.

"Your dog brought it here," Ren answered.

"Really?" Sui blinked.

"Smart dog," Sei complimented.

"Yeah, he really is," Nagata agreed. "But Zweiss, you're in a lot of trouble. You know you're not supposed to wander off on your own."

Zweiss cutely gazed back and tilted his head to the side with his tongue hanging out.

"Oh, I can't stay mad at that face," Nagata cooed as he hugged Zweiss. He said to Ren, "Thanks for bringing Zweiss over with my lunch, Ren."

"No problem," she answered.

"Do you want to sit with us?" Nagata asked.

"OK."

Joined by Ren, Zweiss and Sekito, the group of friends had lunch. Ren seemed content to share some of her food with the two dogs. She couldn't resist such cute little creatures.


	3. The Sovereigns' Departure

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 _Leadership is the burden hardest to bear..._

 _The first thing you learn when leading an army is not just that you're leading your soldiers to battle, but that you're also sending them to their deaths. What hurts the most is that the ones you're leading to their deaths are the ones who have put all their trust and faith in you._

 _You need to ask yourself if you're making the right choice and consider your options. You need to expect the worst while hoping for the best. You need to remember that your soldiers are people, not pawns to be sacrificed for victory or tools to be used and discarded. They too have families and friends who care about them, who would grieve for them and miss them when they are gone. If you think of them as less than human, then what does that make you?_

 _When you're victorious, you celebrate, but then you still need to bury the bodies of those who fell in battle in order to obtain that victory. It's not a happy ending for those who lose their lives or anyone affected by the tragedy. You get only the best ending you can hope for at the end of a war. People will die on a battlefield, even if your army wins in the end, there will still be graves to fill on your sides._

 _The burden hardest to bear is if you can live with the choices you make when you know you'll have to make the same choices again._

That was an entry in Nagata's journal, one which he wrote after _**The Fall of Rakuyo**_ and _**The Siege of Korou Fortress**_. Ryuubi found it in Nagata's office. It was on his desk and curiosity got the better of her. She needed to read something he wrote for inspiration since this would be her first time leading an army.

"It's never easy, is it, Nagata-sama...?" Ryuubi asked quietly, wishing he was standing right here beside her right now.

"Aneue."

"Touka-sama."

"Touka."

Ryuubi looked over to see her sworn sister, her bodyguard and their faction's strategist standing in the doorway, looking at her expectantly. She put down the journal.

"It's time, isn't it?" Ryuubi asked.

"Everyone's waiting for you," Kanu confirmed. She noticed her sister's hesitance. "What's wrong?"

"Do you...do you think Nagata-sama made the right choice when he appointed me?" Ryuubi asked.

"Getting cold feet already, Touka-sama?" Gien joked, trying to elevate the mood.

"I'm being _serious_ ," insisted Ryuubi.

"Do you doubt yourself, Aneue?" questioned Kanu.

"A little," Ryuubi confessed. "It's just that there are so many others who would be more worthy. He could've chosen you, Aisha. He could've even chosen Iori-sama or Idunn-sama to lead in his place. He could've chosen anyone else. So why did he choose _me_?"

Komei reasoned, "Perhaps he sees potential in you."

"But I'm nothing special, not like Nagata-sama. He's so strong and he can fight monsters. All I can do is make speeches. I can't be as strong as him."

Komei replied, "Did you know he once told me that without the belt and Lockseeds, he's not so special either? Truth be told, he was a lot like you when he first became our leader."

Ryuubi blinked, surprised. "He was? But how did he become such a great leader?"

Kanu answered, "Because he isn't alone. Because he has us to help guide and advise him, and because we were able to inspire him, he could rise to the challenge and become the leader he was meant to be. In return, he inspired many with his courage, selflessness, and compassion. That is why we will be with you, not just to follow you, but to guide you as well."

"But..." Ryuubi was still not sure.

"' _We're not always born into greatness, but that doesn't mean we can't achieve great things_ '," Komei quoted.

"What was that?" Ryuubi blinked.

"Something Nagata-sama once told me. Now, come on. It's time to address the soldiers."

"Wait, before that, could we go and see Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi requested.

Kada was still looking after Nagata as they entered his bedroom. He was checking Nagata's condition. His health hadn't deteriorated and his SengokuDriver was feeding him nutrients from the Kachidoki Lockseed. He was pretty much stable. He just wasn't waking up.

Approaching the bed, Ryuubi bent over to kiss his forehead.

"I love you, Nagata-sama. Please wake up soon, OK?" Ryuubi said before she left the bedroom with Kanu, Komei, and Gien. Kanu glanced at the bed and her face set in determination. In her lover and lord's name, they would be victorious.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 3: The Sovereigns' Departure**

* * *

Moriya groaned in pain. While he was able to take down Knuckle, he didn't manage to end the fight unscathed. The Ultimate Fist managed to wound him, which only filled him with ire. Nonetheless, he managed to stand victorious over his foes. He was able to defeat three Armored War Gods, including one empowered by the Sovereigns.

Speaking of which, Moriya approached Mitsuki. He wouldn't be going anywhere while paralyzed. Moriya looked down at the SengokuDriver, more specifically at the Zhuqiao Lockseed that was contained in the centre of the belt. He stared at it greedily. It was an item of great power, like the Seal of Heaven.

Nobody could blame him if he took a trophy to prove his victory.

Unable to resist his greed, Moriya knelt down and took hold of the Zhuqiao Lockseed. However, as soon as he put his hands around it, the Zhuqiao Lockseed began to glow before it suddenly ignited.

 **FWOOOOOM!**

"AAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!" Moriya screamed as he suddenly went ablaze and was forced to release the Zhuqiao Lockseed. He put himself out with his Dorinki but was drained of his energy soon after as he reverted to his Rinrinshi form.

He heard a commotion. Many, many furious footsteps could be heard running towards the dining room. Moriya grumbled. He didn't have any time to deal with the guards. Giving Mitsuki one last look of contempt, he made his escape.

* * *

Sousou ended the call and let out a sigh.

"Looks like this wasn't an isolated incident after all." She heard a knock at the door and answered, "Come in."

The door opened and Shibai entered. She was a new addition to Sousou's faction and part of the Crimson Guard. She was Mitsuki's new strategist, but that wasn't the only reason he had accepted her into his group. She was also skilled in acupuncture and interrogation, skills that proved quite useful, making her a great addition to his team.

"Sousou-sama, I've come to report on their condition," Shibai stated after bowing respectfully to the young queen.

"How are they doing, Shibai?" Sousou asked.

Shibai reported, "The three of them were close to knocking on death's door by the time I looked at them. Using my needles, I was able to flush out the toxic Ki that was the cause of their paralysis. However, Baron-sama is currently upset."

"That's not a surprise. He was humiliated by a lizard from out of nowhere," understood Sousou. "And now it seems that we're not the only ones who got an uninvited guest."

"Pardon, Sousou-sama?" Shibai asked.

"Gaim has fallen in battle. He was defeated by a Rinrinshi named Braco," Sousou answered.

Shibai blinked. "He was defeated? I always assumed that the Blue King of Shoku was peerless in battle."

"Well, even gods can fall and apparently Gaim is no different," Sousou replied, sounding disappointed. "Ryuubi asks if I could lend her Baron. Tell me, Shibai. How long will it be until he recovers completely?"

"He'll need a couple more sessions with me, but he should be good as new within the next two days, at least," Shibai answered. To Sousou, that was the best news she had heard all day.

Suddenly, Ensho stomped into Sousou's room, looking absolutely cross. Shibai stood aside to allow the blonde to pass before the woman slammed her palm upon Sousou's table.

"I demand to know how we will respond to this attack!" Ensho shouted.

Sousou rolled her eyes and stood up to look Ensho in the eye. Despite their difference in stature, Sousou was still an intimidating figure. Unlike Ensho, Sousou was a warrior and a queen. She wasn't going to be intimidated by this blonde bimbo.

"Let me remind you, Ensho, that you are a guest in my palace. So, if you don't mind, could you behave properly?" Sousou requested politely.

"My fiancé was nearly killed! I have a right to be upset! And I know you are angry at the assailant for what he did to your precious Armored War Gods as well!" Ensho shot back.

"Oh, indeed I am, but at least I'm able to control my temper," Sousou retorted. "Now, shouldn't you be at your fiancé's bedside if you care about him so much?"

Ensho blinked in realization and stood up straight, her anger subsiding.

"Ah, yes. You're right, Sousou. My Haru-sama needs me. My apologies for barging in." Ensho turned and left the room.

Sousou caught the look Shibai was giving her. It was one of curiosity mixed with amazement.

Sousou explained, "Ensho's easy to manipulate if you tell her what she needs to hear. She loves her Armored War God so much, so I reminded her that he may need her at his side."

"Ah, a clever use of emotional manipulation," Shibai approved.

"Now, I want you to go help speed up Baron and Bravo's recovery. I want my Armored War Gods back on their feet as soon as possible," Sousou ordered.

"May I do the same for Ensho's Armored War God as well?" Shibai asked permission.

"You may," allowed Sousou.

* * *

Mitsuki angrily growled as he lay in his bed, his body still paralyzed. He hated losing like this. The damn Gecko Rinrinshi had poisoned him, causing his paralysis. It was humiliating for him to be beaten by such an underhanded trick.

He wasn't alone, however. He had company. Juniku smirked as she looked down at Mitsuki.

"You know, I think I like you better when you're like this. No backtalk, no rude comments, and no unnecessary quips. Just peace and quiet," remarked Juniku.

Mitsuki glared at the strategist and would've made a sharp retort if his mouth wasn't paralyzed like the rest of him.

When Juniku learned that the palace had been attacked, she immediately returned to see if her beloved Sousou was safe. When she learned that Mitsuki was paralyzed from the attack, she went to see him too, only to tease him a bit. He had a rude response ready to fire, but he couldn't make it verbally. He also couldn't make a rude hand gesture since his body was suffering from paralysis.

Until Shibai started her acupuncture treatment, he had felt completely powerless. Being unable to move, he was at Moriya's mercy. He hated that. Being rendered weak and helpless was a feeling he never wanted to experience again.

He didn't know why the Gecko Rinrinshi had spared him, but it was definitely not out of any sense of mercy. Moriya just wanted him to suffer from his venom until he died from complete muscular paralysis.

"I recommend you to not antagonize the patient when he is unable to defend himself, Juniku-dono," Shibai advised as she entered.

"Just trading barbs as usual," Juniku replied innocently.

"Not much of a fair trade if he can't even offer a rebuttal," Shibai countered. She went to check on Mitsuki and raised his hand for him. "Let's see if you've regained mobility. Try to move your fingers, Baron-sama."

Mitsuki twitched his fingers. As slow as his recovery was, this was progress as his condition gradually improved. Oddly enough, Marcus and Haru had recovered the ability to speak.

"Hm, looks like you may need another session," said Shibai as she opened her box and took out a needle. She began to unbutton his shirt, caressing his strong and broad chest. "Now, just bear with it."

Mitsuki couldn't protest if he wanted to, but he had no need to. He trusted Shibai to speed up his recovery. As his strategist started sticking needles into his chest, the Crimson Enforcer's scowl deepened.

' _When I get my hands on that damn lizard again, I'm going to roast him alive_ ,' Mitsuki viciously swore mentally. To lose to some dirty trick was downright humiliating and it enraged him. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he imagined the target of his grudge as a charred corpse.

Juniku watched as Shibai worked on Mitsuki and smiled fondly as she murmured, "Thank you for protecting Karin-sama, Baron." She may not let him hear it, but she was indeed grateful that he was around to protect Sousou.

* * *

"If I could move my arms, I would hug each and every one of you," Marcus spoke sweetly as the Chou Sisters and Chouryou visited him in his room. Shibai was a miracle worker as she managed to flush out the paralyzing toxins from his system with her needles. He couldn't feel anything from his neck down to his toes yet, but at least he regained the ability to talk.

"Are you going to be alright, Marcus-kun?" Chokaku asked worriedly.

" _Oui,_ I will. _Mademoiselle_ Shibai was able to rid my body of the toxins. I must endure being poked by needles, but it is a small price to pay for a swift recovery," Marcus answered. He would smile if he could, but the paralysis prevented him from making one.

"At least you put up a fight. Isn't that right, Ma-kun?" Chouryou asked.

"Unfortunately, while I tried my best, I still fell in battle due to the fiend's venom," Marcus sighed.

"How awful," Choryo said sympathetically.

"Don't worry, Marcus-kun. We'll take good care of you until you get better," Choho assured.

" _Merci_ , but don't forget to look after yourself, as well Chiiho-chan," Marcus reminded. "I don't want you to exhaust yourself since you still need your rest as well."

Marcus was just so sweet like that. That was why his personal harem loved him so much.

"So, how's the patient?" Shibai asked as she entered to check up on him.

"Ah, _Docteur_ Shibai. Thank you very much for your treatment. While I am unable to move my limbs, I am beginning to regain feeling in them," Marcus smiled as Team Baron's strategist entered.

"And I see that you're able to speak. Baron-sama hasn't been able to utter a word yet. He's been able to scowl, but I believe his face is just stuck in that expression," Shibai replied jokingly.

"Well, we can't always have something to smile about," Marcus responded sympathetically.

"Anyway, I'm here to help you remove more of the toxins," said Shibai as she opened up her box of needles. The Chou Sisters and Chouryou backed away and cringed at the sight of the needles as Marcus blanched. He really didn't like needles. However, he must endure it if he were to get better.

" _Mon dieu..._ " Marcus groaned as Shibai started with the first needle.

* * *

"Other than not being able to feel my arms and legs, I feel just fine," Haru said.

"Oh, thank the Heavens!" Ensho gushed loudly.

"And that new Lockseed came in handy!" Haru added happily. He did manage to drive away Moriya, or at least deal enough damage to force the Gecko Rinrinshi into retreating.

"I am just so relieved that you are alive, my beloved!" Ensho declared dramatically.

"We all are, and right now he's going to need me to treat him," Shibai said as she showed up. She looked to Ensho. "Would you mind leaving the room, Ensho-dono? I need to concentrate if I am to treat Knuckle-dono properly."

"Very well," Ensho complied haughtily and paled as she saw Shibai open up her box of acupuncture needles. "Are all those needles really necessary?"

"I need to remove more of the toxins that are causing his condition. After this, he should recover more feeling in his limbs and be able to move again," Shibai informed her firmly.

"Alright," Ensho nodded and then warned her sternly, "But if you do anything to harm my beloved, I swear I will have you punished!"

Shibai rolled her eyes as Ensho stormed out of the room. Once Ensho was out of earshot, she asked Haru, "How do you put up with her?"

"You're not the first to ask that or the last. I know Reiha-chan can be hard to deal with..." Haru started to defend.

"That's an understatement," Shibai interjected as she started sticking needles into Haru's right arm.

"But Reiha-chan's a good person deep down. She just needed someone to help her see that," Haru replied.

"With all due respect, Knuckle-dono, but she treats you like a possession," Shibai stated her observation.

"Yeah, and maybe that was true at first. She really wanted an Armored War God just so she could one-up Sousou. But well, over time, we really did fall in love and all I want to do is to make sure people know her as more than just a rich and spoiled brat."

"You're too good for her," Shibai sighed.

"Maybe that's why she needs me," Haru answered with a smile. Shibai stuck a needle in his shoulder and his arm sprang up automatically.

"Oops, sorry. Let me fix that," Shibai said as she removed the needle, causing Haru's arm to fall back down.

"Is this going to take long?" Haru asked.

"You'll know when it's time. For now, just bear with it," she advised as she resumed her treatment.

* * *

As predicted, two days later, Shibai's treatment was a success. Once Mitsuki recovered from his venom-induced paralysis, the first thing he did was to go hit the training room. He was shirtless and wearing only a pair of black pants as he relentlessly pounded on a wooden training dummy. A layer of sweat drenched his skin and hair, but he wasn't stopping as he continued to rain blows on the dummy, stopping only to catch his breath and take a drink of water before resuming his workout.

Eventually, he succumbed to his exhaustion and fell on his ass as he took deep breaths. A towel was dropped on his head and he looked up to see both Kakoton and Kakoen smiling at him.

"We knew you'd be here," Kakoen said. Kakoton said nothing as she simply admired his toned physique and how his sweat made his body glisten.

"Um…how are you?" Kakoton finally spoke as Mitsuki stood up and used the towel to dry himself. Deep down she was thinking, ' _Oh, just take me now!_ ' She licked her lips at the thought.

"Fine, at least now I am. I really didn't feel comfortable with those needles sticking into me," he answered.

"And the first thing you decided to do after your recovery was to beat up the training dummy?" Kakoen asked with a quirked eyebrow as there was a crude drawing of Moriya's face nailed to the dummy's head.

"I need to get back in shape, and it just feels good to pound my fists into something," Mitsuki said.

"We heard about what happened," Kakoton said. "You really wrecked the dining room."

"Well, it's collateral damage. I really couldn't avoid it," Mitsuki shrugged.

"I don't think it's wise for you to be training so soon after your recovery. You should take it easy," Kakoen advised.

"You sound like Sera," Mitsuki huffed.

"And she was the one who treated you, so perhaps you should listen to her," suggested Kakoen.

"Look, I'm fine. I feel fine," Mitsuki insisted.

"You need your rest," Kakoen insisted, putting her hands on her hips.

 **POW!**

Mitsuki slammed his fist against the dummy and shouted insistently, "I'M FINE! I JUST NEED TO TRAIN!" For a moment, the Kako Twin Sisters thought they saw flames blaze in his eyes. That moment passed and Mitsuki took in a deep breath.

"Not after you just recovered. You're only going to end up injuring yourself again," Kakoen told him firmly.

"Look, we get it," started Kakoton. "You were humiliated in battle and you want payback. But we're not trying to stop you. We just want you to slow down."

Mitsuki took a deep breath and apologized, "I'm sorry...it's just that...this is something I gotta do."

"We know. You are just trying to get it all out of your system," Kakoton replied, understanding the source of Mitsuki's stress.

"At least let us help," Kakoen added. "I don't think a break is going to kill you."

"Alright, I'll try to relax," Mitsuki relented. Maybe a break wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"And I think I know just how to help you with that," Kakoen winked. She turned to her sister who shared her smile. Suddenly, the two of them pounced on Mitsuki and pushed him onto the floor.

"I don't think this is relaxing," Mitsuki commented.

"Hush you," Kakoen ordered.

"We know what we're doing. We do this for Karin-sama all the time," Kakoton added.

Without putting up a fight, Mitsuki surrendered himself to the Kako Twins' tender treatment. What they didn't realize was that they had an audience.

Riten was spying through the gap in the door, wanting to go watch Mitsuki train. The sight of his topless, sweat-drenched body was always a treat and just watching him train made her all tingly down south. Of course, what she didn't expect was a whole different kind of workout when the Kako Twin Sisters, two of Sousou's most loyal generals, decided to pin him down to the floor.

Riten could not look away as she continued to watch, her entire face flushed. Grunts and moans were coming from inside the training room. She was so focused on the erotic sight before her that she didn't even notice as Haru approached the training room.

"Hey, is the training room free-?" Haru started.

"OH, MITSUKI! YES!" Kakoton and Kakoen screamed at the same time.

"OK, I see it's occupied," said Haru as he hastily turned around and walked away, hoping to avoid an awkward situation. Riten remained glued to the spot, still watching. She began to drool as she imagined herself being taken by Mitsuki just like the twins.

* * *

"Baron," Sousou greeted as she sat upon her throne.

"Loli," returned Mitsuki as he stood before her.

"Since your tongue is still as sharp as ever, you've obviously recovered," remarked Sousou as her right eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"I actually enjoyed his silence," snarked Juniku.

"Keifa..." Sousou warned.

"Forgive me, Karin-sama. I spoke out of turn," apologized Juniku. Sousou gently patted her head, causing the strategist to purr under the attention.

"So, if you called me here, you must have something important you wanted to tell me," stated Mitsuki.

"Indeed, Mitsuki. Touka Village has sought our aid after they were attacked by the RinJyuKen," Sousou informed Mitsuki.

"What happened to Oda?" Mitsuki asked.

Sousou told him, "He was defeated by the enemy and is currently incapacitated. They fear a massive attack is coming and asked for our aid. They requested your assistance, to be precise."

"Well, I do owe Oda a debt for saving you," Mitsuki replied. "I'll bring my team and the Crimson Guard to aid our allies in Shoku."

"Take Knuckle along with you," Sousou added.

"Hattori?" Mitsuki asked.

"Yes, Ensho's fiancé. From what I've heard, he and Gaim seem close and I doubt he would want to be excluded," Sousou explained.

"I guess it would be good to have him back me up. Hattori's strength would be of great help."

"Indeed, and I know how much you respect strength."

"It's the only thing that really matters if you want to survive," Mitsuki said quietly.

* * *

Mitsuki really didn't need to look very far to find Haru. He found the Armored War God of the Ultimate Fist currently having a nice relaxing moment with Ensho as they drank tea and enjoyed a plate of snacks together. Ensho really couldn't resist bossing the servants around as if she owned the place, and the servants really couldn't argue since she was a guest and a noble. Still, they would complain and talk about her behind her back once she was gone.

Mitsuki decided to just be upfront about it as he approached the pair. He ignored Ensho as he explained to Haru about what was going on and why his help was needed.

"So what's up, Mitsuki? How are you feeling?" Haru asked.

"I'm fine, but that's not important right now. I have something I need to tell you," Mitsuki answered. "It's about Oda."

Noting Mitsuki's grim look, Haru asked, "Did something happen?"

"He got beaten and is in no condition to protect his kingdom. So he needs our help," Mitsuki explained briefly. "Are you in or out?"

"Hey, if Nagata's in trouble then sign me up!" Haru volunteered without hesitation.

"Good, then let's go."

"Excuse me, but don't I have a say in this?" Ensho demanded. "Are you sure you wish to go, Haru-sama?"

Mitsuki frowned at Ensho. Really, she had every right to be worried, but she needed to understand how important this was. He could tell her off, but maybe this was something that required some delicacy.

"You better talk with her. I don't want to come back to find out Ensho died because her stupid whining drove Sousou to kill her," Mitsuki advised.

Haru nodded and pulled Ensho aside to talk to her privately.

"Reiha-chan, I gotta do this," Haru insisted.

"Must you, though? You've only just recovered. You can let someone else handle it," Ensho replied reasonably.

"Reiha-chan, I'm not gonna let some bad guy get away with anything and do whatever he wants. And if my friends are in trouble, I gotta help them."

Ensho took a moment to consider his words. Then she remembered that this was the reason why she fell in love with him in the first place. He was selfless and would not hesitate to help anyone who was in trouble, especially his friends.

"Then, I wish you the best of luck, beloved," Ensho relented with a smile. While she was worried about him, she had a lot of faith in her fiancé. He was strong and he would return to her.

"I promise I'll come back safely," he swore, kissing her on the cheek.

* * *

When Mitsuki gave the order, his lieutenants immediately relayed it to the Crimson Guard. The men quickly made preparations to leave for Shoku. Weapons and supplies were checked and they made sure they had everything they needed for the battle that was to come.

Haru was still exchanging goodbyes with Ensho when Mitsuki became impatient.

"Come on, Hattori. We gotta go," Mitsuki called.

"Just one more thing," Haru told him. He put his arms around Ensho and dipped as he gave her a passionate kiss. She didn't resist as she put her arms around his neck and kissed back. Mitsuki rolled his eyes. Shibai, Riten and Gakushin just watched with neutral expressions, but Ukin's eyes sparkled at such a romantic sight.

Marcus also watched the sweet scene and swooned. "Truly, this is a love that will never die."

"Oi, Marcus. While I'm gone, you're gonna be looking after Sousou and strengthening the defenses," Mitsuki reminded. "Got it?"

Marcus saluted and swore, "You won't have anything to worry about."

"I sure hope not, and you can make use of the Drivers we recovered from the White Clothes. And if you get in over your head, you know how to reach me," said Mitsuki before he extended his hand to shake. Marcus, however, pulled Mitsuki into a hug.

"Be safe, _mon ami_ ," Marcus said.

"OK, you can stop hugging me," Mitsuki ordered, feeling awkward. He considered Marcus a friend and comrade but really didn't like getting all touchy-feely with him like this.

Mitsuki later stood in front of his troops. The Crimson Guard was armed and ready, eager for a battle. They had their supplies, their gear, their numbers, and motivation. It was a recipe for a powerful fighting force.

"They are ready and awaiting your command, Baron-sama," Shibai informed him.

"Crimson Guard, move out!" Mitsuki ordered.

From the palace's terrace, Sousou watched as the Crimson Guard marched out the gate and towards Shoku. Kakoton, Kakoen and Juniku also witnessed as Mitsuki left with his army. Ensho watched as Haru went along with the Crimson Guard to assist Shoku.

Mitsuki was going because he owed Nagata a debt, but Sousou knew he had another reason for going. He wasn't about to let anyone defeat his rival and get away with it. If anyone was able to defeat the Blue King, then her Crimson Enforcer wanted a shot at them.

If only the RinJyuKen didn't exist. She wouldn't have had to delay her plans to unify China and ally herself with the other kingdoms.

* * *

Kademu admired his handiwork. The White Devil was stuck in the wall, unconscious, helpless and completely defenseless. It would only take a single blow to take his life, but where was the sport in that? Kademu had no interest in striking down an opponent if he couldn't watch them suffer in agony before they experienced their demise.

He looked down at Masataka's SengokuDriver and eyed the Baihu Lockseed greedily. It was an object imbued with the power of the Sovereigns, giving anyone in possession of it god-like abilities.

"Guess I should take my trophy and go," Kademu decided as he went to grab it and pull it out. However, once he put his hand on it, the Baihu Lockseed began to glow.

 **ROOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!**

Kademu did not expect to hear a loud ferocious roar, nor did he expect what happened next. He was suddenly hit by an invisible concussive force that violently repelled him from Masataka. Not only that but whatever had hit him had also shredded through his precious bag hood.

Grumbling, and already beginning to feel drained, he reverted to his Rinrinshi form. He could already hear reinforcements coming and wasn't in the right mood or state to deal with them. He gave Masataka one last scowl before fleeing the scene.

* * *

"Is Masataka-kun alright?" Sonken worriedly asked Natsu as she met him in the corridor. She got news from the guards that Masataka was injured.

"He's fine, Sonken-sama," answered Natsu.

"And what of your brother?"

"Not so good, but whatever that Rinrinshi hit him with seems to be wearing off. The doctor says he's gonna be needing his rest. By the way, you may need to get some guys to fix the wall. There's a huge hole in it."

"Yes, I'll get right on that," Sonken agreed absentmindedly. "What kind of monster could've done this?"

"Some freak wearing a bag over his head. He had lightning fast moves and managed to put us down in a short time."

That was truly worrying news. A Rinrinshi capable of taking down three Armored War Gods, including one who was blessed by the Seal of Heaven, was the last thing Sonken needed.

"I'm just happy you all survived," Sonken smiled, relieved. She was following her eldest sister's example. In times of distress, she needed to appear calm and composed, lest her distress was picked up and spread to others.

"Yeah, but that thing's still out there and he might come back," cautioned Natsu. "They seem to have a habit of coming back to the scene of the crime to finish the job."

"So it's best we prepare for his inevitable return, isn't it?" suggested Sonken. "Is Masataka-kun conscious? Could I speak to him?"

"Yeah, sure. He's right in his room and I think Shuutai's looking after him. Now, if you'll excuse me, Sonken-sama. I gotta go see how my brother's doing," said Natsu as he walked past Sonken to go and check on his little brother. While Natsu was being curt towards the ruler of Son Go, she gave him a pass. He was just worried about his brother so his current attitude was justified. Sonken knew she would be the same when it came to her own sisters.

When Natsu reached their shared room, he saw Rikuson sitting by Fuyu's bedside. His brother wore a pained expression as he lay in bed. While the effects of the poison had worn off, his body was still feeling sore all over from the abuse he received from Kademu. Rikuson dabbed his forehead and face with a wet cloth, looking after the man she loved with tender loving care.

"Come on, little brother. You're gonna be OK," Natsu whispered.

"Natsu," Kogai suddenly called and he turned to see her.

"Oh, hey Sai. What's up?" he asked.

"I heard about what happened. Are you OK?" she asked. He let out a sigh in response.

"I'm fine, but Fuyu took a hit meant for me and got hurt instead," he confessed.

"Well, you are brothers. It's only natural that he would risk his life to protect you."

"But I'm his _big_ brother. I'm supposed to be the one protecting him, not the other way around. I should be the one lying in that bed right now, not him," Natsu explained as he looked guiltily into the room.

Kogai put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "You're brothers, which is why you have to look out for each other. It's what good brothers do."

"I know, but I just wish I could help him right now."

"Just be there for him until he wakes up and thank him. That's all you can do right now," advised Kogai.

"Right," Natsu agreed as he continued to watch. "Rikuson's really sweet on him, isn't she?"

"Oh yes," Kogai agreed. "Sometimes we just get together and the stories she could tell about their romance could fill a book. She also tells me that your brother is quite passionate and talented in the bedroom."

Natsu held back a look of discomfort. "Yeah, the last thing I wanna hear is how good my little bro is in bed."

"Well, you have to admit that his bedroom prowess must be truly remarkable if she's writing a book about it," she added.

"She literally writes about the times they have sex?" Natsu cocked an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yes, she does. I almost feel like I should share tales of our own passionate bedroom escapades just to one-up her," Kogai teased.

"She might just write about them and let Fuyu read them. I'd know if something was wrong if he refuses to look me in the eye," Natsu frowned.

"Hm, but you know that we girls tend to tell each other everything," Kogai winked. "Well, I've got work to do. Sensei hates it when I submit late reports." She sauntered off, swaying her hips as she went. Natsu's eyes followed the sway of her hips. Kogai might be a bit older, but damn was she still fine.

"What a woman..." he swooned. He returned his gaze to his brother and promised, "I swear I won't let anything bad happen to you again, little bro."

* * *

Meanwhile, Masataka was lying in his bed, holding his broken glasses up to his eyes.

"I'm going to need a new pair," Masataka stated.

"You nearly got yourself killed, and you're worried about your glasses?" Shuutai remarked.

"I can't be a strategist here without my glasses. It's part of the uniform," he quipped.

He had been defeated by Kademu and got stuck in the wall. Fortunately, the guards managed to get him free without harming him. Unfortunately, he was hurt all over with dark bruises on his body caused by Kademu's assault. He was thankful for his Baihu Arms Armor as it protected him from getting his bones broken and being poisoned by Kademu's toxic fist like it had Fuyu. He hoped the younger Fuma Twin would recover soon. Their combined fighting force had decreased by two-thirds with both himself and Fuyu currently incapacitated.

"Here, your spare glasses," Shuutai offered and Masataka took them. He always kept a spare handy just in case the ones he was using were broken. With his lifestyle, with risky occupational hazards, it was always best to be prepared. Just like right now as he had Shuutai sitting by his bedside, guarding him.

"Thank you, Shuutai," said Masataka as he put on his spare pair of glasses. "I don't know what I would ever do without you by my side." Shuutai blushed at the praise and nearly swooned.

The door opened as Sonken let herself in. Although she appeared to be as calm and poised as any ruler should, her anxiety was still visible. Her shoulders were stiff, her movements clipped, and her face set. She looked worried rather than relaxed. She was indeed nervous and feared Masataka was hurt worse than what she had been told.

"Masataka-kun!" Sonken called, looking relieved to see him awake.

"Renfa-sama," Masataka greeted, welcoming her.

"I heard about what happened. Are you alright?" Sonken asked.

"My ribs are sore but not broken, thanks to my armor, and I didn't suffer any permanent damage, so I'm-" Masataka was caught off guard as Sonken flung herself at him and embraced him. "Renfa-sama..."

"When I heard about what happened…when I was told you were defeated, I thought...I thought..." Her voice wavered, her emotions threatening to spill out. Masataka put an arm around Sonken and gently rubbed her back, comforting her while reassuring her.

"You thought you would lose me again. As you can see, I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere. I have no intentions of meeting Ox-Head or Horse-Face in the afterlife anytime soon."

"But you were defeated by a Rinrinshi. How did you manage to survive?" Sonken asked. Her question was justified. Any enemy would capitalize on an opportunity to take out their enemies while they were unconscious and helpless. So, why had Kademu spared him?

"My armor's tough, but even I'm not so sure what made him spare me. I know I shouldn't complain about being alive, but it still bothers me. I mean, I was stuck in the wall, completely at his mercy. So why didn't he use the chance to kill me?"

Honestly, it didn't make much sense to Masataka. If there was a chance to take out his enemies, he would take it. He didn't leave anything to chance or any job undone. He couldn't afford to leave any loose ends untied. An enemy spared one day could return better prepared to finish the job. It was best to take them out before they had the chance to take him out. The RinJyuKen weren't shy about killing, so why not take advantage of what they would consider a golden opportunity?

"Whatever the reason may be, I'm just glad you're alive," Sonken answered, not wanting to question it.

"Sonken-sama," Kannei spoke as she entered the room. "Your crystal ball is flashing."

"That must be an emergency call for me from one of our allies," Sonken said. She kissed Masataka and told him, "Now, you get some rest while I deal with this."

"Very well, Renfa-sama. I won't be going anywhere," he smiled at her. Sonken left with Kannei, leaving Masataka alone with Shuutai.

"So, Zangetsu-sama," started Shuutai. "What was this opponent like?"

"Deadly," he summarized. "He was aiming to kill. Each blow was meant to weaken me before he executed me with his venomous finishing blow."

"I am afraid for you, Zangetsu-sama. If the enemy now has the power to defeat you while you are in your Celestial Armor..."

Masataka interrupted, "His mistake was leaving me alive. He may think I would fear him in our next encounter due to this defeat, but right now I have time to plan and think of a way to defeat him when we meet again." His eyes narrowed as he smiled dangerously. "It's not smart to spare a predator."

Shuutai shuddered as her cheeks flushed when she saw that smile of his. Masataka was normally so kind and gentle. However, that was just a facade. He did not earn the title 'White Devil' for being nice. He was almost as pragmatic and ruthless as Sonsaku. He was willing to stain his hands with blood and he owned up to it. He didn't deny that he did terrible things like burn down entire villages if they were infested with Helheim plants, or even execute people who were unfortunate enough to come across the fruit. He was willing to do what needed to be done because he had to do what needed to be done.

While strategists were strictly non-combatants, Masataka did not fit the norm. He could command an army from behind the scenes, but he chose to fight on the frontlines. His armor gave him the power he needed and also the appearance of a mighty warrior.

Minutes later, Sonken returned. For a moment, she looked distressed, but quickly she covered it up. Still, it did not escape Masataka's notice.

"So, who was it that called?" Masataka curiously inquired when Sonken returned.

"It was just Ryuubi-dono. She was just asking me if we could come to their upcoming Harvest Festival," Sonken answered casually.

"I see. You know, a Harvest Festival might just be fun. We could even take Shuyu-dono to cheer her up."

"That's an excellent idea!" Sonken agreed all too happily. "I will tell her the news." She gave him a kiss and told him, "You just stay here and get better. I'll have the servants tend to your every need."

"Alright," Masataka agreed and watched as she left the room. Once he was sure Sonken was out of earshot, Masataka narrowed his eyes and turned to Shuutai.

"Shuutai, I need you to watch Sonken-sama and report to me once you learn anything important," he instructed.

Shuutai gasped, stunned at the unexpected order.

" _What?_ You want me to spy on Sonken-sama? Isn't that treason?"

"There is something she's not telling me, and I hate to be kept in the dark," he explained. He would be essentially going behind Sonken's back, but he couldn't ignore his queen's earlier distress. She tried to hide it, but even she couldn't conceal it from his observant eyes.

Shuutai was hesitant. After all, Sonken was her queen and the highest authority in the kingdom. However, she was also Masataka's personal bodyguard and spy. If he needed information, he knew that he could ask her to get it. But to spy on Sonken, it just sounded so treacherous.

Masataka noticed this and caressed her head. She looked up at him and their eyes met.

"I know you don't like this, but this is for the good of the kingdom and Son Clan, I can assure you. Look, just listen in on her conversations without her noticing then report back to me. I just need to know what's troubling her so I can help her."

With those reassuring words, Shuutai complied and left the room to go and gather information.

Masataka hated manipulating his bodyguard like that. He was fine with manipulating allies and had no qualms with manipulating enemies, but Shuutai was a good friend of his and he didn't want her to be punished for following _his_ orders. However, he needed to know what was causing Sonken such distress. He needed to know so he could formulate a plan. After all, he had sworn to Sonsaku that he would protect the kingdom and her family, even if it meant going behind their backs to do it. He had learnt from Shuyu after all.

* * *

Shuutai kept to the shadows as she snuck towards Sonken's bedchamber. She stood outside her window and quietly listened in. Part of her felt guilty about spying on her queen, but Masataka insisted that this was for the sake of Son Go. She knew sometimes one had to do distasteful things for a greater good, or so she consoled herself. She waited for something and finally she got it as she heard the door open and three sets of voices speak.

"I've brought him as you commanded, Sonken-sama," said Kannei.

"Yeah, Kannei made it sound like an emergency. So, what's up?" asked Natsu.

"Our allies in Shoku are in danger and they are requesting our assistance," Sonken told them. "They specifically requested for Zangetsu's assistance."

"So, why am I here?" Natsu asked.

"Because I don't want to send Masataka-kun."

"Wait, what? Why would you refuse to send Sempai?"

"Because I learned that a powerful enemy has defeated Gaim and put him in a coma. Can you imagine how powerful the enemy might be to be able to defeat the Peerless Blue King of Shoku?" Sonken asked rhetorically.

"That's why you won't send Sempai. You don't want him to put himself in danger," Natsu deduced.

"Exactly. I lost him once before, and I don't intend to lose him again. I know that I should send him as they requested for his help, but I can't. That is why I'm sending you instead along with an army."

Natsu retorted, "You don't want to endanger Sempai, but you're willing to endanger _me_?"

"Please," Sonken pleaded. "Please do this for me."

"You know Sempai won't like this."

"Just let me take care of Masataka-kun. As long as he doesn't find out, he won't have to risk his life."

"Fine," Natsu conceded. "I mean, it is our job to fight those RinJyuKen guys, right?"

"Thank you," Sonken smiled.

"I'm only agreeing to this because I don't want Sempai to get himself killed. I also owe those RinJyuKen creeps for what happened to Fuyu."

* * *

Masataka was drinking a cup of medicinal herbal tea. His face twisted into an expression of disgust as he tried to force down the concoction. The physician was not so concerned about the flavor when he made something meant to help him get better. It was all about the results.

"Still...maybe just add a little sugar..." murmured Masataka. The door opened and Shuutai entered. "Welcome back. What do you have to report?"

Shuutai relayed the information she had acquired. Masataka frowned as he listened to every word of her report and came to a conclusion.

"So, our allies are in trouble and they asked for me, but Sonken-sama refused," Masataka summarized from Shuutai's report.

"She intends to send Mars-sama in your place," Shuutai added.

"A poor substitute," muttered Masataka. It wasn't that he thought Natsu wouldn't be strong enough. Truth be told, Armored War God Mars form was quite formidable. However, he wouldn't be strong enough against an enemy that could put Nagata Oda down.

"Zangetsu-sama, I fail to see how this is for the good of the kingdom," said Shuutai.

"Maintaining good relations with our allies is always for the good of the kingdom, Shuutai," Masataka explained.

"So what will you do?"

"Confront Sonken-sama in the morning then demand that she allows me to go help our allies."

"But what if she refuses?"

"Let's see her try and stop me," Masataka answered sternly as he narrowed his eyes.

* * *

A new day came as Sonken sat on the throne. It was at this time of day when she was approached by her subjects to help settle the matters with her fair judgment. They would come to her with proposals, ideas, and suggestions to help improve the city. Ryomo stood at her side as her advisor while Kannei stood on her other side as her guard. Shuyu was currently unavailable due to personal reasons.

As Sonken dismissed a man who was asking for more money to help repair the fishing boats and acquire new fishing equipment, she saw Masataka enter the throne room. The guards granted him entry without hesitation.

"Masataka-kun, what are you doing up? You should be resting," said Sonken with concern as Masataka approached her throne.

"I am feeling much better now. I'm actually here to speak to you about a serious matter," he replied.

"Alright, please speak," she allowed.

"Sonken-sama, I know about the call you got yesterday," said Masataka.

"Of course. I told you about it, didn't I? We were invited to Shoku's Harvest Festival, or have you forgotten?"

"I meant the _truth_ of its contents. It wasn't a call from Ryuubi to invite us to the Harvest Festival. It was a call for assistance, wasn't it?"

Sonken's expression fell as she realized that Masataka knew the truth.

"The thing about those crystal balls is that they allow the _leaders_ of each faction to contact each other during _emergencies_. I found it strange that _Ryuubi_ would call you just to invite you to a Harvest Festival when a simple letter would have sufficed."

"Masataka-kun, I..."

"Please do not try to deceive me, Sonken-sama. I had someone find out the truth for me," Masataka interrupted.

"You had someone spy on me?" Sonken's eyes widened as she stood up from her throne. "That's a complete violation of my trust and privacy!"

"Then you should not have lied to me," Masataka argued.

"Zangetsu-sama, please show respect to Sonken-sama!" Kannei demanded.

"Kannei, I was speaking to Sonken-sama. Please, be quiet," Masataka ordered and she glared at him in response. He ignored her as he addressed Sonken again, "Well, Sonken-sama? I'm waiting for an explanation."

Sonken's face was set in a frown as she glared back at Masataka who returned it with his own strong gaze. Finally, she conceded. He would've found out the truth anyway. She might as well confirm it.

"Yes, I lied, but only to protect you, Masataka-kun!" Sonken justified. "I already lost Onee-sama and I nearly lost you once before! I do not wish to experience that again!"

"While I appreciate your desire to protect me, my duty is to protect _you_ , Sonken-sama! Not the other way around! It's also my duty to help my fellow Armored War Gods!" Masataka strongly argued.

"I refuse to let you go! I forbid it!" Sonken objected.

"With all due respect, Sonken-sama, you cannot forbid me from assisting them. Our allies require reinforcements and asked for _my_ help. I have an obligation to answer their call," Masataka countered. He knew he was being unnecessarily cruel and inconsiderate towards Sonken's feelings, but she was putting her own personal feelings ahead instead of doing what was right-what was necessary!

"I have already decided to send Mars. There's no reason for you to go," she countered.

"No, they requested for my help and it must be a pretty big threat when they specifically asked for the aid of one of the Sovereigns. I'm not about to let them get killed if I can help them," Masataka shot right back.

Their eyes met in sharp glares. The tension was thick between Sonken and Masataka. This was a battle of wills. Ryomo began to sweat, worried that the two would continue to argue.

"You would disobey my orders?" Sonken challenged.

"Within good reason, yes I would," Masataka answered.

"You're not going to just ignore this, are you?" she asked with a sigh.

"You can't stop me, Sonken-sama. Even if it means going against your orders, I'm not going to turn my back on my friends," he told her.

Sonken wilted slightly in her seat. Why was it that her family members and people she loved were put in danger despite however fiercely she tried to protect them? Realizing it was a losing battle, she had no choice but to relent.

"Perhaps I cannot stop you. However, I will not in good conscience allow you to go alone and without aid. If our allies in Shoku require reinforcements, then you shall bring an army along with you. Take Shuutai with you as well."

"Thank you, Sonken-sama," Masataka clasped his hands together and bowed to Sonken. He turned around and headed for the exit, stopping for a moment to address Natsu and Shuutai.

"Man, you just told off your queen," Natsu awed.

"How's Fuyu doing?" Masataka asked.

Natsu answered, "He's doing OK right now, I guess. He's gonna need some bed rest to recover fully, but he's no longer in pain. Plus, Rikuson's looking after him, so he's in pretty good hands."

"Good, I'm leaving Son Go's security to you while I'm away so you better strengthen all the defenses while I'm gone," Masataka told Natsu.

"So, you mean...?"

"Deploy as many Lockvehicles as you can to secure the city and make sure everyone's safety is your top priority. And yes, that is an order."

"Don't worry. If that freak comes back here, I won't hold back. I got a score to settle with him," swore Natsu.

"Just remember to come get me if it's an emergency," Masataka advised.

"You got it, Sempai."

Masataka gave the Ultimate Steel an affirming nod before he continued on his way, followed by Shuutai. Sonken just sighed sadly as she watched him go.

Kannei went up to Sonken and asked, "Was it wise of you to just let him go?"

"No, but he's right. I can't stop him, and it's not in his nature to turn his back on people who need him," Sonken answered. It was an admirable trait, but it didn't stop the dark feeling gnawing at her heart.

"But how did he find out about your conversation with Mars-dono?"

"He had someone spy on me. It was likely Shuutai," answered Sonken.

Kannei's eyes widened. "How could she...?"

"Masataka-kun probably convinced her. He likely worded his orders in such a way that convinced her that she was doing the right thing. She is, after all, a loyal member of the guard." Sighing, Sonken looked to her subordinate. "Should I be worried that Masataka-kun is more loyal to the kingdom than he is to me?"

Kannei answered the best she could, "He swore an oath to Sonsaku-sama to always do what is best for the kingdom. He has done nothing to prove otherwise. Being loyal to someone sometimes means saying or doing things the person they are loyal to may not approve of. I believe this is such a case."

* * *

Masataka walked towards the front gates of the castle, dressed in his travel clothes. The men and their gear were already waiting outside for him so he had to get a move on. If the enemy could defeat Nagata of all people, then he would have to get there quickly before the enemy returned. Time was not a luxury they could afford.

"Zan-niichan! Wait!" Sonshoko shouted as she chased after Masataka. The White Devil stopped and turned, watching as the youngest princess dashed up to him.

"Shao-chan, what is it?" Masataka asked.

"Don't go yet!" Sonshoko said as she presented him with something. "Take this with you."

Masataka accepted the item. It was a protective charm. In a way, she was telling him that she would be watching over him.

"Thank you, Shao-chan," Masataka smiled. She then flung herself at him and gave him a hug.

"Come back, OK, Zan-niichan?" she begged.

"I will."

"Promise?"

Masataka hugged Sonshoko back.

"I promise."

* * *

Sonken passed her little sister as she raced back into the castle, no doubt to avoid letting Masataka or anyone see her tears. Sonshoko had a lot of pride and Sonken knew from experience that she never let anyone see her cry. Walking to where the men were readying themselves, Sonken approached, her nerves once again quailing in her mind.

"Masataka-kun," Sonken spoke as she approached him.

"Yes, Sonken-sama?" Masataka asked, giving her the cold shoulder.

"Please, Masataka-kun, I don't want us to part on such bad terms," requested Sonken. Masataka closed his eyes and sighed before he turned to face her.

"Are you here to try and change my mind, Sonken-sama?"

"Please, call me by my true name."

"Very well, Renfa-sama."

"I'm not here to stop you. Even if I were to tell you not to go, you would go anyway because of your loyalty to your fellow Armored War God, not because of spite. You feel obligated to help them in their time of need."

"It's more like I owe Gaim for his help in proving my innocence," Masataka clarified. Sonken remembered. Nagata insisted that Masataka was innocent and was framed for her sister's assassination. It turned out he was right and Masataka's name was cleared.

"I just wish for you to come back to me safely," Sonken said as she caressed his cheek. "Please, promise you will come back to me. I don't ever want to lose you again."

"And you won't," he swore as he gazed into her eyes. "I promise that I will return."

"Just make sure to keep that promise, OK?" she requested. He answered her request with a kiss. It was sweet and passionate and Sonken reciprocated as she put her arms around him. The Queen of Son Go and her Ultimate Shield continued to kiss deeply before the need for air forced them apart.

"That's a promise sealed with a kiss," he winked and Sonken's blushed.

"Here's another," she responded before kissing him again. "Now go, and make sure you come back to me."

"I will." Masataka turned to his troops who returned to their formation after witnessing the passionate exchange between their leader and ruler. "Moon Brigade, it's time to deploy!"

The Moon Brigade marched towards the gate, escorted by Suika Arms, Tulip Hoppers, and Dandeliners. Sonken watched them go with a smile. She had faith in Masataka, faith that he would return to her.

* * *

"Come on, Ken. We're almost there," said Hideyoshi as he huffed and puffed with each step he took. His fever and chills were getting worse, but he persevered as he dragged Kenshin along with him. They needed to get back to Kosonsan's estate and get themselves some help.

"Ugh..." Kenshin groaned. "Hideyoshi...I don't...I don't feel...feel so good..."

"It's OK. Just hang on and save your strength. We're gonna make it," Hideyoshi assured as he persevered. He was resisting the fever and chills with sheer willpower alone. Finally, they both managed to make it to the entrance of Kosonsan's estate before they promptly collapsed and passed out in front of the guards.

The last thing Hideyoshi heard were panicked voices calling for the doctors.

* * *

Hideyoshi groaned as he slowly came to.

"Ugh...my head is killing me..." He put his hand on his forehead and felt a damp cloth draped over it. "Do I have another hangover again? Stupid Kenshin, making me drink again."

"Looks like you're awake," Kosonsan observed as she sat at his bedside.

"Kosonsan-dono?" Hideyoshi asked. Where were his glasses? He couldn't see without his glasses.

"Here." Kosonsan put his glasses back on.

"What happened, Kosonsan-dono? Why do I feel like I had a fever?" Hideyoshi asked.

"The guards found the two of you passed out in front and brought you back inside," Kosonsan told him. "Kayu-dono told me you were attacked by a Rinrinshi. I was hoping you could fill in the blanks."

Hideyoshi groaned as the memories came back to him, "So, she managed to reach you."

"Right before she collapsed."

"What!?" Hideyoshi exclaimed.

"After she told me what happened, she suddenly collapsed and said she felt cold," Kosonsan answered. "She wasn't the only one, though. There were others with similar symptoms. I sent doctors to look at them."

"Chills..." Hideyoshi whispered.

"So, what happened?" Kosonsan prompted.

"Ah, yes. It's all coming back to me," Hideyoshi recalled. "The Toad Rinrinshi had a partner, a female one with scorpion-like features. She stung us with scorpions." Hideyoshi shuddered as he remembered the scorpions. Perhaps he should upgrade his arachnophobia to include scorpions since they were arachnids as well. Those things crawled all over him and he didn't like the feeling one bit.

"I see," Kosonsan nodded. "That would explain the fever."

"Fever?"

"When the guards found you, the two of you seemed like you were suffering from chills and a fever. My physicians confirmed it but were unable to deduce the cause. Now we know the cause."

"If we were stung by scorpions we should've been killed, not suffer from a fever," Hideyoshi argued.

"You should consider yourselves lucky that you survived at all," Kosonsan remarked.

"More or less lucky. I don't wish to be stung ever again."

"I doubt anyone does."

"How is Kenshin doing?" Hideyoshi asked, worried about his best friend.

"You somehow made a miraculous recovery, but Kenshin isn't doing so well. The physicians are looking after him and giving him medicine to help him with his condition," she answered. "That reminds me. You should drink this." Kosonsan offered him a cup. Hideyoshi stared at it dubiously.

"What is _this_?" Hideyoshi asked warily.

"It's an herbal remedy to help bring down your fever. It works wonders," explained Kosonsan.

Hideyoshi took the cup and gulped it down before sticking his tongue out in disgust.

"Ack! That's nasty!"

"I never said it tasted good, though," Kosonsan remarked as she remembered taking the drink herself when she was sick that one time, and how she wanted to throw up later.

"Well, I may not have taken it if you told me it would taste so bad," Hideyoshi replied. "So thank you."

"But how could two Rinrinshi defeat the two of you?" Kosonsan asked.

"I'm guessing they're elite members of the RinJyuKen," answered Hideyoshi. "That's my best guess, at least."

"Well, hopefully, the two of you will get better and be able to deal with them if they come back," Kosonsan reassured Hideyoshi.

Kosonsan went to check on Kenshin and Kayu. While Kayu only suffered from violent chills, Kenshin was suffering from both a fever _and_ chills. The doctors were doing their best to treat their sickness.

Hideyoshi's recovery couldn't be anything but a miracle. Did it have something to do with his powers? Was it because he was chosen by the Sovereigns? Perhaps, but right now Kosonsan needed to make sure her Armored War Gods and general got back on their feet. Something told her that she was going to need their support in the future.

As Hideyoshi lay in bed, he looked over to the bedside table. His SengokuDriver and Lockseeds were sitting there. His eyes were focused on the Xuanwu Lockseed and he grimaced. He frowned in thought. Perhaps if he had used his Xuanwu Arms from the beginning, maybe he and Kenshin wouldn't have been defeated so easily.

"Should've used it when I had the chance..."

"Indeed, you should have."

Startled, Hideyoshi jumped out of bed and grabbed his SengokuDriver and Lockseed. His eyes widened as he saw his visitor.

"Chosen!" gasped Hideyoshi.

"Hello~!" greeted the strange man in pink. "I see you're looking better."

"What are you doing here?" Hideyoshi demanded, relaxing but still keeping his guard up.

"To check up on you. I have to admit your recovery is no short of miraculous," Chosen admired.

"Guess their venom wasn't as potent as they believed," Hideyoshi remarked.

"Or perhaps the power of the Black Turtle is what healed you, Sovereign of Water," Chosen said.

"What? 'The Sovereign of Water'?" asked Hideyoshi.

"The Black Turtle governs over water. You have only used water as a weapon, but that is not its only application," Chosen said mysteriously.

"There are other applications?" Hideyoshi began to deduce what Chosen meant and his eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying I can use water to _heal_?"

"You should be able to, but it means tapping into powers you never knew you had," Chosen told him. "Now, don't you think you owe it to your friends to help them in their time of need?"

Hideyoshi looked down at his Xuanwu Lockseed and made his decision. He looked up to thank Chosen, only to see him gone. He had vanished without a trace.

"I have got to figure out how he does that," Hideyoshi mumbled.

* * *

"BLARGH!" Kenshin hurled into a bucket.

"Well, guess you're not getting any better," Hideyoshi remarked.

"Ugh, I feel like I drank way too much and then drank again," Kenshin groaned as he lay helplessly in bed. He was pale and covered in cold sweat.

"Well, that's what happens when you're sick."

"Damn, we got our asses kicked by a couple of freaks," Kenshin muttered in shame.

"A couple of _married_ freaks," Hideyoshi corrected.

"Right, married." Kenshin rolled his eyes. As if that mattered.

"You know, almost dying like that really put things into perspective," Hideyoshi said.

"What are you talking about?" Kenshin asked.

"It's that we could die at any moment, of any day, and if that were to happen then we might regret things we were unable to do since we're dead," Hideyoshi explained.

"...What?"

"I've always lived cautiously, and always done things following a plan, but no plan is perfect. I'm gonna try to live like each day is the last day of my life and just follow my impulses."

Kenshin gave Hideyoshi a weird look and said, "OK, who the hell are you and what have you done to my best friend?"

"Take care of yourself, Kenshin. I'm going to enjoy the first day of the rest of my life," Hideyoshi smiled.

"Seriously, what the fuck did you have? And can I have some?" Kenshin asked as Hideyoshi left the bedroom.

* * *

"I feel like crap..." groaned Kayu.

"You look like crap," Hideyoshi quipped as he went and sat down next to Kayu's bed. The silver-haired beauty looked up and smiled at him.

"Hey, Glasses," she greeted.

"Feeling better?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Well, I'm not in my best shape, but I'm getting there," groaned Kayu before she began to shiver a little. "I hate these chills."

"Yeah, I can agree to that," Hideyoshi nodded.

"So, you going to find the creep that did this?" asked Kayu.

"Obviously, I mean we can't let something like this spread. We're lucky to have doctors that could treat us," Hideyoshi shrugged. "Anyway, I came to check up on you. Glad to see you're on the mend."

"Ha, just try to keep me down," Kayu grinned before she shivered heavily. "Dammit!"

"I'll let you get bundled back up," Hideyoshi nodded, turning to leave. "You'll be fine in no time."

"Yeah, no time." Kayu shivered under her blankets.

* * *

Hideyoshi waited until both Kayu and Kenshin were asleep before he made his move. Raising the Xuanwu Lockseed, he unlocked it.

"Henshin."

 **[XUANWU!]**

He loaded it into his SengokuDriver and hit the Cutting Blade.

 **[LOCK ON! COME ON! XUANWU ARMS! KUROTAMA NO TATE, GO ON!]**

"The doctor is in," Gridon declared once his transformation was complete. He entered Kenshin's room and looked down at his sick friend. He closed his eyes and concentrated. The helmet's blue eyepieces glowed as he focused on his element. It felt weird but also natural. Perhaps the spirit of the Black Turtle was somehow guiding him.

Placing his hand upon Kenshin's chest, he started to feel Kenshin's Ki pathways. It was amazing. It was like a network of energy running through his friend's body. It was supposed to be pure but there was some kind of taint in it. Gridon knew what it was. It was the venom from Sorisa and Maga.

He focused on capturing the taint in Kenshin's Ki pathways and attempted to expel it, focusing his energies to go through his friend like a stream of clear water purging a tainted river. He had to be careful with this. It was unlikely that Kenshin would completely recover from being exposed to the venom of a poisonous toad and scorpion so Gridon was going to do everything in his power to help.

Finally, he could feel the taint vanish and removed his hand from Kenshin's chest. That had been easier than he thought, but it still took concentration.

"You should be OK from now on, Kenshin. Now it's Miyabi's turn," Gridon decided. He also needed to visit the homes of other people who had been poisoned by Maga as well. He just hoped he wasn't too late to help them.

* * *

The next morning had people running through the streets, shouting about how their loved ones had just recovered from the poisons they were inflicted with. All of them were declaring how the Turtle Sovereign had come to their homes and cured the poison. Everyone who was affected by the attack celebrated, forcing several soldiers to get involved in order to keep things from going too far from all the excitement.

Kosonsan was amazed when Kenshin and Kayu both made a miraculous recovery. She could only attribute such a recovery to the gods. Hideyoshi, on the other hand, overslept. He claimed that he had exhausted himself with his work and she advised him not to overwork himself when he still needed to rest himself. Still, this was good news and Kosonsan decided to tell him about the message she got from Ryuubi.

"So, they're in trouble," Hideyoshi concluded once Kosonsan finished relaying the message to him. This was an emergency, not just because their allies needed help, but because Totaku and Kaku were both in danger as well.

"I'll be getting the troops ready," Kosonsan told him.

"Will you need Kenshin and Kayu to come with us?" Hideyoshi asked.

"No. Even though their help would be appreciated, I can't just leave my city unprotected."

"I understand. I'll go tell them then."

As Kosonsan prepared to mobilize her troops, Hideyoshi was going to have to tell both his partners the bad news. He really hated being the bearer of bad news, but somebody had to do it. They weren't going to like it though.

* * *

"So, how are the two of you doing?" Hideyoshi asked his two partners. They were sitting at a table, having tea together.

"I'm feeling better than ever," Kenshin grinned. "Like I can take on the entire world."

"You too then, Miyabi?" Hideyoshi inquired.

"I feel like I was never even sick. It's like some miracle washed away whatever ailed me," she answered.

"Good then you're both feeling better. Listen, Kosonsan-dono is taking her army to go help the Shoku Faction," Hideyoshi informed them.

"Wait, they're in trouble?" Kenshin questioned.

"Yes, they are. Nagata was defeated and the monster responsible plans to return with an army to finish the job," Hideyoshi finished.

Kenshin stood up. "Alright! Let's go then! We gotta protect Yue-sama, Nenene and Kaku!" He didn't have to worry about Ryofu though. She was strong enough to take care of herself. It was his former mistress and strategist who would need their protection.

"Actually, you have to stay here." Hideyoshi gently let Kenshin down. "You too, Miyabi."

"What!?" Kenshin exclaimed.

"Why!?" demanded Kayu.

"Yeah! How come Miyabi and I gotta stay!?" Kenshin demanded angrily as Hideyoshi adjusted his glasses.

"Kosonsan-dono's orders. You both just recovered, plus she needs the two of you to hold down the fort while we go and help Ryuubi," Hideyoshi explained. "She _insists_ on it."

"Not cool, man!" Kenshin scowled.

"Believe me, I would love to have the both of you as my backup, but it's not my call to make. She is the one paying us, so we gotta do what she says," reaffirmed Hideyoshi.

"He's right, Kenshin," Kayu conceded to Hideyoshi. "Sorry, but I think we have to stay."

Kenshin gave her a dirty look for agreeing with Hideyoshi. It felt like a betrayal. Hideyoshi was just glad that one of them was reasonable enough to understand how important it was for them to stay. They couldn't leave this city completely defenseless now, could they?

"This totally sucks!" Kenshin shot back. He wanted a fight to make up for the one that he failed miserably at. He needed this! Couldn't they see that?

"I don't like this any more than you do," Kayu responded. She really didn't. She wanted to be there for her friends as much as he did.

"Look, just stay here, look after the place, and try not to cause any trouble while we're gone. Oh, and right now, you're both banned from every tavern in the city," Hideyoshi told them.

"EH!? WHY!?" Kayu and Kenshin yelled.

"Because she doesn't want you both to go on some kind of drunken rampage while we're gone and I totally agree. Now, remember to behave yourselves while we're away."

"Hey, if you see Ren-chan, Yue-sama, Nenene and Ei, tell them we said hi," Kenshin requested.

Hideyoshi nodded. "Sure."

"There you are!" Kosonsan said as she approached them. "Have you told them yet?"

"Yes, I have," Hideyoshi confirmed.

"Well then, we have no more time waste! Let us make haste! Onwards to glorious battle!" declared Kosonsan dramatically before he walked alongside her.

"You know, there's no need for you to be dramatic all the time," Hideyoshi advised.

"It's the only way I can get people to listen to me," Kosonsan answered.

Shortly after both Hideyoshi and Kosonsan went out of earshot, Kenshin showed his displeasure again.

"Dammit," Kenshin frowned as he clenched his fists. "This fucking sucks!"

"You really wanna go and help them, huh?" Kayu asked.

"Of course I do! They saved Yue-sama and gave us a chance! We owe them!"

"I'm not happy about this either, but orders are orders. Besides, she's taking Hideyoshi with her. He should be able to handle things without us."

"I guess. You know, it's weird. He used to be such a weak little dork when I met him, but now he's willing to go into battle to save his little princess."

"Well, love can bring out the best in a person."

"But what about us? What are we supposed to do? We're banned from the taverns. What are we supposed to do to get drinks?" Kenshin demanded.

"Well, we could always raid Kosonsan's stash," Kayu suggested. "But she probably has it guarded."

"But what are we supposed to do then?" Kenshin grumbled.

"At least we're not sick anymore," said Kayu optimistically. She hated feeling cold and shivering uncontrollably. For Kenshin, the fever was just agonizing. Fortunately, whatever the doctors did helped them to recover.

"Yeah, it's not the type of heat I wanna experience again, that's for sure. But now I'm bored out of my mind."

After a brief pause, Kayu came up with an idea of what they could do.

"You know, we could just have sex to pass the time," Kayu suggested.

"Yeah..." Kenshin did a double take, "Wait, what?"

* * *

 **KRC:** Now we see what's been going on with the other kingdoms since we last saw them. The other Armored War Gods, fortunately, survived their encounters with the Five Venom Fists, and now they want payback. They are off to Shoku to assist the Gaim/Shoku Faction. Let's hope they make it in time and are able to defend it from Braco.

 **TFP:** So despite the Five Venom Fists' attempts to bring down the others, the Armored War Gods are recovering and bringing the fight to Braco. The element of surprise won't be on their side anymore and now the AWG are wise to their tricks. The upcoming fight won't be like before and the stakes are going to be as high as they can get. With Shoku on the line, can the heroes prevail?

* * *

The Five Venom Fists were in the middle of a heated discussion. No compromise or resolution had yet to take place.

"Why don't we just attack them now?" Kademu demanded impatiently.

"Because I want them to be ready for us," Braco answered calmly.

"But why? Their morale is low! Now is the perfect time to finish them!" Kademu insisted.

Braco explained, "Because once they realize they stand no chance whatsoever, their spirit will be broken and give way to delicious despair. Then we'll harvest that despair before we utterly annihilate them."

Kademu blinked and then he smiled. "You know, that does sound better. Let them suffer a bit more before we put them out of their misery."

"Glad you finally understand."

"Heh, this battle will be over before it even begins," grinned Moriya.

"It will be truly satisfying to crush any shred of hope they have," agreed Sorisa. "And our new kingdom will grow."

"Dibs on the throne!" Maga called.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #3A: HITTING HIGH NOTES**

Marcus was watching the Chou Sister in the middle of rehearsal. However, he was unsatisfied with their performance.

" _Non, non, non._ This song requires you to hit very high notes!" Marcus smacked on the lyrics he was holding.

"I'm sorry, Marcus-kun. But that's as high as we can go," Chokaku apologized.

Marcus rubbed his chin and then he got an idea.

"Just relax," said Shibai as she held up her acupuncture needles as the Chou Sisters cowered in the corner. The girls screamed as the scary woman approached them threateningly.

" _Magnifique! Bravo! Bravo!_ " Marcus applauded.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #3B: WEAPONS SHOPPING**

The To group was eating lunch at a restaurant when Kenshin decided to mention something.

"Hey, Hideyoshi. Have you ever thought of getting yourself a weapon to carry on you?" Kenshin questioned.

Hideyoshi blinked and asked, "What brought this up?"

"Well, Miyabi and I were talking and since you're supposed to be Yue-chan's bodyguard, you should look the part," Kenshin said.

"It's true," Kayu agreed.

"Look the part?" Hideyoshi cocked an eyebrow.

"Without your armor, you don't exactly look like threatening enough to be a bodyguard," stated Kayu bluntly.

"So we thought you should get yourself a weapon," Kenshin added.

"I can protect Yue-hime just fine," Hideyoshi defended. "Besides, I don't think our group needs more people who are obviously armed. And as you know, my brain is my weapon."

"Yeah, you can always _think_ them to death," Kenshin mocked and Hideyoshi glared.

"We just need to pick something you can use to defend yourself," Kayu added diplomatically.

"I saw a shop selling weapons in town. We can browse around a bit there," Kenshin urged.

"Alright, if it will shut you up, I'll buy a weapon," Hideyoshi conceded.

The group entered the weapons store and browsed for a bit. Kayu was looking at the spears they had for sale and examined them. She shrugged as she put one back on the display rack. None of these weapons were as refined as her halberd.

"Try these out," Kenshin recommended as he tossed Hideyoshi a pair of nunchucks.

"Nunchucks?" Hideyoshi cocked an eyebrow. "You sure about this?" He twirled the nunchucks in his hands.

"We gotta start somewhere," shrugged Kenshin.

Hideyoshi tried out the nunchucks, swinging them around.

"OW!" Hideyoshi yelped. Kayu heard the yell coming from Hideyoshi who was nursing a goose egg growing on his head. He had tried the nunchucks and hit himself in the head.

"Not your thing?" Kenshin asked.

"No." Hideyoshi returned the nunchucks. "I think I should try something else."

"Yeah, I guess s too," Kenshin agreed. OK, Hideyoshi and nunchucks did not mix well.

"I found something that might work," Kayu called and Hideyoshi rubbed his head as she held up a pair of chui (Chinese maces). "Here, these should suit your fighting style."

"OK," Hideyoshi said as he held his hands open and Kayu handed them over. Immediately, he felt the weight pull him to the floor as he yelped. He then dropped them on his feet and cried out before he collapsed, holding his now sore feet. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Are they really that heavy?" Kayu asked.

"Yes!" cried out Hideyoshi as he released his feet and picked himself up. His toes were throbbing but were fortunately not broken.

"I've seen you carry a hammer and that spiked chui in battle," Kayu reminded.

" _In my armor_. That suit boosts my upper body strength. Without it, I'm pretty weak," Hideyoshi said.

"Here, let me get them," said Kenshin as he easily lifted the chui. "Hm, they don't feel so heavy. In fact, I could use these for weightlifting." He demonstrated as Hideyoshi grumbled and glared at his friend before he continued browsing.

"He really should consider working out more," remarked Kayu.

"Well, he spends most of his time with books and an abacus. He's always been a nerd," Kenshin said honestly.

"Really?" Kayu asked.

"Yeah, bullies used to pick on him a lot but I was always there to make sure they didn't," Kenshin recalled. He would always protect his friend and in exchange, Hideyoshi would help him with his homework and studies. Of course, they bullied Hideyoshi for also being a bit of a braggart.

"So, should we get them?" Kayu asked.

"Let's see their price and see if we should," said Kenshin.

"You're right. Weapons can get pretty expensive," Kayu agreed.

"I know. I mean, I had to pay the blacksmith a lot to make my spear," Kenshin replied. Custom weapons fetched a much higher price.

"You know, if we're getting Hideyoshi a weapon, we might as well get something for Yue-sama so she can defend herself," Kayu remarked.

Kenshin snapped his fingers and grinned. "Oh! I got it! I saw something awesome!" Kenshin took Totaku's hand. "Come on, Yue-sama!" He then dragged her along to where he found the awesome thing.

"Should I be concerned?" Kaku asked Hideyoshi when he came back and saw Kenshin take Totaku away.

"Kenshin doesn't always think before he acts if you recall. We should see what he has in mind for Yue-hime," Hideyoshi answered.

They didn't have to search far as they found the two of them at another aisle in the store.

"Whaddya guys think?" Kenshin asked as he showed off Totaku dressed in an elaborate suit of armor. It was bulky, added a few feet to her height and looked like it could take several hits. It was also intimidating, contrasting with Totaku's appearance. The only part that was exposed was her face.

"Yue-sama, are you okay in there?" Kaku asked.

"I can't move," Totaku said as she struggled in it. The armor was so heavy that she could barely move her arms.

"You just need to build up your strength," said Kenshin as he slapped Totaku's back. This caused the suit of armor to topple over and Totaku to fall face down on the shop's floor. "Oops!"

"Are you OK, Yue-hime?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Just get me out of this thing!" yelled Totaku, only it came out muffled.


	4. The Sovereigns Assemble

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

Braco sat upon Shirokumahime's former throne as he watched the magical projection screens. They were used by their former leaders to observe their enemies. He was amazed by how easily the Femme Fatales could spy on their enemies, but such a system was wasted on them. All they did was sit and watch, not _use_ any of the information they got. He was glad that he took over now. Finally, the RinJyuKen Akugata would be the fearsome force it was meant to be. As he watched the screens, he saw the armies converging upon Touka Village and smirked as he saw who was leading them.

"The White Tiger, the Vermillion Phoenix and the Black Turtle. So, not only did they survive but now all of our prey has decided to gather in one place. How convenient," Braco observed. His subordinates were so sure their venom would be able to kill the Armored War Gods, but these were no ordinary humans, so an ordinary technique would not destroy them so easily.

This was a perfect opportunity. He had warned the Shoku Warriors that he would return. He might as well make good on that promise. With all the Armored War Gods who wielded the power of the Sovereigns gathered in one place, it would be easy to take them all out at once. This way, he could claim the power of the Sovereigns once their chosen wielders were vanquished and cripple the other kingdoms by taking down their Armored War Gods. The other Venom Fists had defeated the Armored War Gods before, but the sudden loss of their newly gained power had forced them to withdraw before they could finish the job.

The Seal of Heaven, which sat on the throne's armrest, glowed with a dark power as its eyes focused upon the screens. The same glow surrounded Braco's eyes as he eagerly looked forward to the complete destruction of their enemies.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 4: The Sovereigns Assemble**

* * *

Days passed since the call to their allies was sent out and the Shoku Warriors were trying their best to keep their morale high while their leader was in a coma. It wasn't easy. They worked hard during training, but it was depressing during meal times. The food just didn't taste as good without Nagata's presence.

The Shoku Warriors took shifts to look after Nagata, a routine that started since the day he first went comatose. They sat at his bedside, praying silently, hoping he would recover and awaken. Karasu had protested this arrangement, insisting she could take care of Nagata by herself, but she eventually conceded that he needed around the clock care and protection, something she couldn't provide alone, no matter how much she insisted on it. She would have to trust them for now.

Right now, it was Karasu's turn to look after Nagata. As she sat by his bedside, she heard a knock at the door. She would've snapped at whoever was on the other side, but then the door opened and she saw that it was both Kochu and Riri.

"What is it? What do you want?" Karasu asked, a bit more harshly than intended.

"Riri wanted to give Nagata-sama something," said Kochu. Riri stepped forward and Karasu watched as Riri handed her something. It was a set of drawings and a flower.

"I drew these for Nagata-niichan," Riri said innocently.

Karasu accepted the drawings and looked at them. Some of them depicted Nagata in armor, while others showed him with everyone. She even found a drawing of herself with him in their Rider forms. It seemed that little Riri saw everyone as part of her family, including Karasu. She was touched by the gesture, and the flower was a nice touch.

"Thank you," Karasu said as she accepted the gifts sincerely. "I'm sure he'll appreciate them once he wakes up."

"The drawings are for Nagata-niichan. The flower is for you," Riri clarified.

Karasu blinked, surprised. "For... _me_?"

"You just seem so sad all the time, Onee-chan. I wanted to give you something to cheer you up."

Karasu stared at the flower in awe. She had gotten gifts before, but they were usually from people who wanted to benefit themselves from knowing her. The only gifts she ever appreciated were from Nagata, with the rest being tossed away like trash. Now Riri was offering her a gift just to cheer her up. It was just a regular flower, but it was still a good present.

"Thank you." Karasu gave Riri a genuine smile, not the one she usually wore before a bloodbath. The little girl beamed back as Kochu smiled before the two bowed and left the room together. Karasu stared at the drawings and flower. If anyone else had delivered them, she would've just torn them to shreds. Riri, however, had not earned her ire like everyone else in this castle. She was just an innocent little girl.

Karasu placed the drawings down on a nearby table with the flower on top before turning her gaze to Nagata. Like Riri, she wanted him to wake up as well.

* * *

During the time she wasn't watching Nagata, Karasu trained hard. She worked herself to the bone and even burned the midnight oil. She was exhausted each time she finished with her daily training, but she felt that the results would be worth all the extra work she put in. She needed to be strong and to be perfect, in order to protect Nagata.

When Ryuubi found her, nearly passed out from exhaustion, the redhead went to help her. She looked at Karasu with no small sense of pity. She knew the heiress was hurting. They were all hurting. Karasu was just trying to numb the pain by training.

"Are you alright?" Ryuubi reached her hand out to her, but Karasu smacked the offered hand aside instead.

"I'm fine!" Karasu snapped as she used her scabbard to help herself back to her feet. She didn't need any of their help! She was strong! She was stronger than all of them!

Ryuubi retorted, "Idunn-sama, please listen to me! I know you're training yourself so you can be strong enough to protect Nagata-sama, but you won't be able to help him if you hurt yourself! We're all working hard as well, but we can't do this if we don't support each other. So please, stop hurting yourself like this!"

Karasu didn't spare Ryuubi another glance as she dragged herself back to her room. She had no need for pity or sympathy. She just needed to be alone.

Ryuubi continued as Karasu walked away, "I understand how you feel! We all love him! That's why we're working so hard to protect him and this place! That's why we need to work together! It's the only way that we can become strong!"

Karasu walked away from Ryuubi, ignoring the rosette. She ignored her words, her look of sympathy, and also how much she claimed she loved her Naga-kun. She just couldn't stand looking at her right now.

Karasu arrived at her room and slammed the door shut behind her. She was angry at everything, especially those girls. While Nagata's current condition was Braco's fault, she still held them responsible for putting Nagata in danger in the first place. And how dare Ryuubi even imply she understood how she felt? She was already tempted to take up her sword and cut them down. It was getting harder and harder to resist the urge. The only thing stronger than her urge to kill those girls was her desire to make Braco pay.

Killing those girls would be too easy. They already trusted her and thus would not expect an attack from someone they believed to be their friend. Disposing of the bodies would hardly be an issue either. With her powers, she could easily open up a portal and dump their bodies in Helheim to rot in the forest. It was called the 'Land of the Dead' after all, and thus a fitting place to dispose of their corpses. The only problem she could see was Nagata asking where the girls were once he noticed their disappearance. She would be able to lie to him and tell him they were off on a mission. Of course, as the lord, he would have to approve of those missions first. Plus, they would have to send him letters, and Karasu wasn't sure she could forge any convincing letters from them. She had many skills, but forgery was not one of them.

And then there was Iori Tokugawa. He was suspicious of her, she could tell. He didn't entirely trust her. Ryofu Hosen was suspicious of her as well. With how the redhead's pets reacted to the heiress, there was no doubt in Karasu's mind that Ryofu suspected that she was not really a good person. The former To Faction general seemed like the type to believe her animals if they sensed that someone had ulterior motives. It was annoying but hardly foolish. After all, it wasn't like she was truly on their side. She only cared about Nagata and was only keeping up with this farce for his sake. She would continue to pretend being their friend, to put them at ease and lower their guard. Once the chance presented itself, she would take Nagata home with her and they would be together, happily ever after.

* * *

One fateful day, Touka Village received the arrival of three armies. They arrived at the same time and their banners identified their allegiance.

One army held red flags with Baron's personal symbol, which resembled his helm, being displayed proudly, identifying themselves as the Crimson Guard. In the lead, riding on a warhorse, was Mitsuki Akechi, aka Armored War God of the Ultimate Spear Baron, Sousou's Crimson Enforcer and the leader of the Crimson Guard. Hanging from his belt was the sword Shibai had offered to him as a gift so she could join his group.

Flanking him, on warhorses of their own, were the four women who made up the core of the Crimson Guard. The two women riding on his right were his second-in-command Gakushin and his chief engineer Riten. The two women riding on his left were his bodyguard Ukin and strategist Shibai. Behind them, 500 members of the Crimson Guard marched.

Originally, Ukin was supposed to be Mitsuki's main strategist. However, Shibai was more intelligent and capable than her because of her wisdom and skills as an interrogator. Fortunately, Mitsuki wasn't someone who would toss someone aside without a good reason. He decided to make the bespectacled dual-wielder his bodyguard instead so she would have a role to play as one of his lieutenants. Mitsuki officially took Shibai as his strategist mainly for her effective interrogation skills. Her acupuncture skills were also a bonus.

Mitsuki was joined by Haru Hattori, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Fist. He only brought along himself, his gear, and his fists. While he may not be bringing an army, he could be just as effective as one. His fists would be a great help in facing their enemies.

The second army that was making its way towards Touka Village held green flags with Zangetsu's symbol, which resembled the crescent-shaped crest that was usually mounted on his helmet in his Rider form. The army was being led by Masataka Miyamoto, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Shield Zangetsu, the White Devil of Son Go.

Zangetsu's personal army was known as the Moon Brigade, and they wore green and white uniforms with his symbol on their backs. These men carried Lockseeds in special utility belts and wore white headbands which also had Zangetsu's emblem on them. There were 450 of them and they marched in formation behind Masataka who was riding a white stallion. Riding next to him was Shuutai, his bodyguard. The Moon Brigade were also being escorted by members riding Tulip Hoppers, Suika Arms, and Dandeliners.

The third army was being led by Kosonsan, who was riding her own white horse with Hideyoshi riding next to her on a brown horse. She rode confidently with the Armored War God of the Ultimate Hammer riding beside her. Marching behind them was Kosonsan's army, and she had brought 340 men to aid their allies.

Ryuubi, Kanu, and Komei greeted the arriving armies as representatives of Shoku. The armies stopped in front of Touka Village's wall before the leaders dismounted to meet up with Shoku's representatives.

"Welcome to Touka Village," Ryuubi greeted. "I apologize that it wasn't under more pleasant situations."

Masataka replied, "Well, this is an emergency, after all. It's only natural that you call for help."

"So, it's true then. Oda was beaten," stated Mitsuki.

"Indeed," Kanu admitted.

"Was he able to put up a fight until the end?" Mitsuki asked.

"He fought valiantly until the end."

"Good." Mitsuki wasn't disappointed. Nagata only lost because his opponent was superior, not because of his own weakness. Of course, these were Kanu's words alone. Perhaps she didn't want to paint her lord in a bad light.

"At least he survived," Haru added optimistically. "Don't worry. If I know my buddy Nagata, he'll bounce right back."

"Thank you," Kanu accepted his kind words.

When Komei and Shibai locked eyes, they immediately recognized each other.

"Ara, it's been a long time, Komei-chan," Shibai greeted sweetly.

"It's nice to see you again, Shibai-san," Komei returned the greeting with a smile.

Mitsuki looked between them. "You both know each other?"

"During my travels to gain knowledge, I visited Suikyo-sensei to study under her for a bit. That was when I met Komei-chan," Shibai answered. "I never thought I would ever meet her again, but perhaps fate has brought us together."

"I am glad to see you again, Shibai-san. I'm surprised you've joined Sousou's army," Komei said.

"Oh, I didn't join Sousou-sama's army. I'm simply Baron-sama's personal strategist," Shibai clarified. Komei blinked, confused. Wasn't Baron also part of Sousou's army? What did Shibai mean by that?

"While I'm glad for this happy little reunion, we need to set up camp. Sera, you can go and catch up with your little friend later," ordered Mitsuki.

"See you later, Komei-chan," Shibai smiled as she followed Mitsuki. Komei smiled back and waved, her cheeks pink. During the short time they spent together while Shibai stayed with her and Suikyo, the two of them became close friends. The older woman also introduced Komei to the world of adult literature and erotica. Back then, Komei was just an innocent girl, until Shibai lent her some of her books. Komei was fascinated by the stories of love and the ultimate expression of love.

"It must be nice to see an old friend, huh, Shuri?" asked Ryuubi.

"Yes," Komei smiled. Perhaps, once this was all over, she and Shibai could sit down and trade stories. Perhaps Shibai would recommend her a few new books while discussing strategies.

Kosonsan approached Ryuubi and said, "We came as soon as we heard."

"Paipai-chan! You're here!" Ryuubi hugged her dear childhood friend.

"It's Pairen!" Kosonsan corrected before she sighed. "Of course I'm here, Touka. You said you needed help."

"I noticed you only brought Gridon-san," said Ryuubi.

"Well, there's a good reason for that. You see, I needed to leave Kurokage and Kayu to hold the fort in my absence," Kosonsan explained. Honestly, she was reluctant to leave the two of them behind in light of the threat. Still, she needed someone to protect her city while she was away.

"Well, you can't just leave your city unprotected, correct?" Ryuubi understood.

"Indeed. So, how is Gaim-dono doing?" Kosonsan asked.

"He still hasn't woken up," Ryuubi answered sadly.

"I see. How are you holding up?"

"It hasn't been easy, but Nagata-sama once told me that one day I would lead in his place. I just never thought that the day would come at such a cost."

"If he trusts you to take his place, then he sees your potential, and I have no doubts in his judgment," Kosonsan spoke encouragingly. This caused the redhead to receive another tight hug from her rosette friend. This also caused Kosonsan to feel Ryuubi's generous assets against her own chest. This made Kosonsan cry a bit at how Ryuubi was most well-endowed.

* * *

The three armies set up campsites outside Touka Village's perimeter while the main officers entered the gates. There were introductions to be made as Iori presented the newest Armored War Goddess to them.

"And this is Karasu Oda, aka Armored War Goddess Idunn," Iori introduced. "She's Nagata's cousin and she joined us fairly recently."

"It's nice to meet you all. I hope you will take good care of me, sempai-tachi," Karasu bowed.

"Eh, 'sempai'?" Haru blinked.

"Well, you have been Armored War Gods far longer than I have. As your kohai, I should show respect. Isn't that right?" Karasu said.

"Yeah, sure. I guess that makes sense."

"So you're Oda's cousin?" Mitsuki asked skeptically as he looked at Karasu.

" _Second_ cousin," Karasu corrected as she targeted them all with scrutiny. Nagata had told her about them and she wanted to know if they lived up to his words of praise or otherwise.

"Yeah, even I was surprised when I first met her," Iori added.

"How did you arrive in this world?" Masataka questioned suspiciously.

"The same way you all did," Karasu answered vaguely. She wasn't going to give details to people she just met, even if they were supposed to be allies.

"Well, nice to have you onboard," Haru gave her a welcoming smile.

"So, what exactly are we dealing with here?" Hideyoshi asked. "Ryuubi really didn't give much detail besides the fact that Nagata was defeated and you guys desperately need our help."

"Braco, and most likely the Five Venom Fists," Iori answered.

"Yeah, we had a run in with their members ourselves," said Mitsuki.

"All of you were assaulted by the Venom Fists as well?" Iori asked.

They nodded.

"So, could you explain the situation?" Masataka asked.

"Braco was the one who defeated Nagata. He swore that he would return to finish the job. We believe that he might be bringing reinforcements, including the Five Venom Fists, to destroy Touka Village and take over Shoku. So we thought having the power of three Sovereigns could put the situation in our favor," explained Iori.

"Stacking the deck in your favor is always a good strategy. Always expect that your opponent might be stronger to be better prepared for them," Masataka agreed.

"There's more," Iori added. "Braco took the Seal of Heaven."

That made the visiting Armored War Gods went silent as they blanched from hearing that bit of information.

"I'm sorry, but did you say that the RinJyuKen now have the Seal of Heaven?" Hideyoshi asked as the color drained from his face.

"Yes," Iori confirmed.

"Well...it-it's no wonder you called us if you think they're all going attack your kingdom," responded Hideyoshi shakily as he wiped his forehead.

"So, the situation is truly dire then," Masataka frowned seriously.

"Are you OK, man?" Haru asked Hideyoshi who looked pale.

"I don't think so. Excuse me, but do you mind if I took a walk t-to soothe my nerves?" Hideyoshi asked before leaving the group.

"Not gonna comment on his weakness?" Iori asked Mitsuki.

"He had the guts to come here. I'm not about to insult him for that," Mitsuki replied.

* * *

Hideyoshi needed to take a walk to soothe his nerves. Facing the Five Venom Fists was quite the tall order. He really shouldn't be so scared. He had fought many monsters before. Yet, the thought of facing five of the deadliest warriors the RinJyuKen had to offer was just so intimidating. He and Kenshin had fought both Maga and Sorisa, two of the Venom Fists, and were soundly defeated. Not just beaten, but could have been killed if they hadn't backed off. Now all five of them might be headed here?

That wasn't what scared him the most. He could handle knowing the Five Venom Fists were coming, but to find out that they had the Seal of Heaven in their possession was just too much for the bookworm to handle.

As he walked down the corridor, he ended up bumping right into a couple of maids. When he saw who they were, the petite maid gasped as she saw him.

"Hideyoshi-kun!" Totaku threw herself at Hideyoshi and hugged him tightly.

"Eh, Yue-hime?" he reacted.

"I've missed you," Totaku spoke softly.

"I've missed you too, Yue-hime," Hideyoshi smiled as he hugged her back. He then addressed Kaku, "And hello to you too, Ei."

"Hello as well, Hideyoshi. How have you been?" Kaku asked with a smile.

"Well, Kosonsan-dono has been keeping me busy with handling the finances and protecting her city," Hideyoshi answered proudly as he adjusted his glasses. "So how about you? How have the two of you been?"

"I've been taking charge of things here while looking after Yue," Kaku smiled proudly as she fixed her glasses as well.

"I see Nagata still has you working as maids," Hideyoshi noted by their outfits.

"It's not so bad, really. He hasn't actually made any kind of inappropriate gestures towards us and he pays well," Kaku shrugged. "Yue's been learning a lot about housekeeping."

"Really?" Hideyoshi smiled at the petite girl who smiled back. "That's interesting."

"Indeed. She'll make a good wife for a very lucky man someday."

Hideyoshi and Totaku both blushed at what the bespectacled verdette was implying. Kaku smiled in response. She was like a big sister to Totaku so she was overprotective of her best friend. She made sure nobody hurt or bullied her. She also made sure that no man who wanted to only take advantage of Totaku could get close to her.

She didn't believe any man was good enough for Totaku until she met Hideyoshi. He managed to earn her respect and from the way both he and Totaku interacted, she knew there was an obvious mutual attraction. Totaku even confessed to her that she was in love with the glasses-wearing Armored War God. Well, Kaku couldn't complain. Hideyoshi was as protective of Totaku as she was. If there ever was a man she could trust to be with Totaku, it was him.

"How are Miyabi and Kenshin doing?" Totaku asked.

"Yes, where is Kenshin? I was actually expecting him to be here too. He's not the type to refuse a chance to fight," Kaku added.

"Kosonsan-dono ordered Kenshin and Miyabi to look after her city while we're here. I kinda wish she hadn't. I could really use Kenshin's backup right now," replied Hideyoshi.

"Hideyoshi-kun, you can do this. I believe in you," Totaku smiled encouragingly.

"Yue's right. You earned the power of the Sovereigns. As long as you believe in yourself, you can do this," Kaku added in agreement.

"Thanks, girls," Hideyoshi smiled. He really needed the morale boost. He just hoped he could maintain a positive attitude until the day came. "Anyway, I'm going to take a walk aside. I'll see the two of you later."

"Why don't you spend some more time with us now?" Totaku asked cutely. Hideyoshi fought hard to resist her cuteness. It was how she got them to do anything for her. She was just too cute to resist.

"Sorry, Yue-hime, I just need to be alone right now." Excusing himself, Hideyoshi stepped out of the castle so he could take a walk and look around the village.

Prior to their arrival, the villagers had all evacuated. Homes were left behind and businesses were closed down. If there weren't soldiers present, this place would've looked like a ghost town. It was a bit dreary, but war always created a negative atmosphere. It was a necessity at times, but never a good thing. These soldiers were here to fight to defend this place, putting their lives on the line to make sure it wouldn't fall. That was pretty noble.

He then spotted a couple more familiar faces. There were Ryofu and Chinkyuu, with all of their pets with them. The animals weren't leaving, no matter how much Ryofu coaxed them.

"Ren, Nenene," Hideyoshi greeted his two friends.

"Hideyoshi," Ryofu acknowledged.

"Hey!" Chinkyuu waved. "You're here!"

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Hideyoshi smiled.

"It sure has, four-eyes," mocked Chinkyuu good-naturedly. Hideyoshi rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

"It's good to see you again," Ryofu greeted sincerely, but Hideyoshi observed that the redhead was upset.

"What's wrong?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Ren-dono's been down since Gaim fell in battle," Chinkyuu answered.

"I failed him," Ryofu sounded disappointed. "I was supposed to protect him."

"Ren-dono, it wasn't your fault."

"Nenene's right, Ren. I heard about how the fight went down. If I know Nagata like I think I do, I know he wouldn't blame you for what happened. The one to blame is the one who hurt him," Hideyoshi spoke sternly. Ryofu was his friend and while he no longer harbored any romantic feelings for her, he still hated to see her cry.

"So, are you going to finish this guy off like you did to Chojo?" Chinkyuu asked hopefully.

"I actually have a few new tricks up my sleeve that I've been hoping to try out."

"I hope to see them."

"You might get that chance."

"Gridon-sama!" a soldier yelled as he found Hideyoshi with Ryofu and Chinkyuu.

"What is it?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Your presence is required at the Round Table, sir."

"Guess they've already started the meeting," Hideyoshi sighed. He thought he could have more time to gather his thoughts.

"You should go," Ryofu prompted.

"Yeah, there's no way they can start without the Four-Eyed Black Turtle," teased Chinkyuu. Hideyoshi rolled his eyes at the mock-title she had given him but smiled nonetheless at her attempt to cheer him up.

"I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting then," responded Hideyoshi. He had come here to aid his allies, and after seeing Totaku, Kaku, Ryofu and Chinkyuu again, he managed to regain his confidence. This was the place his friends called home. For them, especially his beloved Yue-hime, he would defend it.

* * *

Mitsuki, Hideyoshi, Masataka, Karasu, Haru, Iori, and Ichiro were present and assembled at the Round Table. Earlier, Iori had returned with his brother. When Ichiro heard about what had happened, he didn't even stop to consider and just accepted the request. There was no hesitation in his decision. Iori's home was in danger and as his big brother, it was Ichiro's duty to help him.

Iori was leading the meeting because he used to watch the series which originally depicted the RinJyuKen Akugata, _JyuKen Sentai Gekiranger_. That meant he had knowledge about Braco and the Five Venom Fists. Everyone else knew about them, but it was Iori who still clearly remembered the Five Venom Fists.

"Braco told us he would return. We need to assume that he won't be returning alone, and I don't just mean with an army of Rinshi," started Iori. "We need to consider the idea that he may be bringing along his entire team, the Five Venom Fists."

Haru raised his hand. "I remembered watching that show when I was a kid. I vaguely remember them."

"That's because they appeared early in the series as an elite group of warriors from the RinJyuKen Akugata. After their defeat, they were never mentioned again. That's why a lot of people forgot about them," Iori explained.

"Except for _you_ ," Mitsuki concluded.

"Yes, so now here are the basics: the Five Venom Fists consist of Snake-Ken Master Braco, Toad-Ken Master Maga, Centipede-Ken Master Kademu, Gecko-Ken Master Moriya and Scorpion-Ken Mistress Sorisa," Iori listed.

"You know, if the RinJyuKen had a Tiger-Ken Mistress, a Crane-Ken Master, a Mantis-Ken Master, a Snake-Ken Mistress and a Monkey-Ken Master, they could form their own Furious Five," Haru joked. This earned him glares from the rest of the table. "What?"

"This is no time for jokes," Iori berated Haru, causing him to sink in his seat. "I'm sorry, but we need to be serious about this. Our lives, as well as the lives of our comrades, may depend on this knowledge."

"But aren't three of us here juiced up by the Seal of Heaven?" Haru asked, referring to Hideyoshi, Masataka, and Mitsuki. "They can just go Super Mode and wipe the Five Venom Fists out."

"We may be powerful, but that doesn't mean we're invincible," Mitsuki shot back sharply.

"We need a strategic advantage, meaning we need to study our enemies," added Masataka.

"It's true. We need to know what we'll be facing so we can come up with a plan to go up against them," agreed Hideyoshi.

"Well, my strategy is always just to hit them really, really hard until they stop moving," Haru spoke up.

"That's a good idea, but we need to hit them hard _and_ be smart about it. Now, let's listen to my little brother," said Ichiro.

Iori started talking again, "Alright, here's an overview of the Five Venom Fists. These five are not only masters of their individual JyuKen styles, but each of them can produce venom with different debilitating effects. They have venom that can cause a high fever, nausea, paralysis, agonizing pain, chills and ultimately death."

The Armored War Gods who had faced the Venom Fists before were very familiar with those symptoms. After all, they had a chance to experience them personally.

"Kenshin and I fought a couple of them. Sorisa stung us with scorpions to give us a fever and Maga did something to give us the chills," said Hideyoshi.

"Did he do anything? Touch you with anything? Did his weapon pierce your armor?" Iori asked.

"It's nothing like that, but he was throwing bombs that released a very smelly gas," answered Hideyoshi. "I think that's what caused it."

"Must have been toxic fumes," Masataka concluded.

"Chills and a fever. Man, that must not have been good," Haru remarked sympathetically.

"Indeed, it wasn't," confirmed Hideyoshi. "How about you guys?"

"Hattori, Marcus and I were all paralyzed by Moriya," answered Mitsuki.

"Fuyu suffered from intense pain after his own encounter with Kademu," added Masataka.

"And we ended up exposed to Braco's venomous Ki," finished Iori. They all felt like they were going to vomit because of the effects of Braco's Ki. In fact, after some time of being exposed to it, a few of the Shoku Warriors actually vomited. Was it just a delayed reaction? "Their venom is dangerous, but what makes them even deadlier is the mastery of their secret techniques, their Hiden Ringi."

"Some kind of secret technique?" Haru inquired.

"Yes, but we'll go over them later. I already have an idea of how we can beat them."

"What's the plan then?"

"Divide and conquer. We'll separate them, cut them away from their army and each other to engage them separately."

"If that's the case, I demand the right to fight Braco," Karasu volunteered.

Iori immediately shot her down, "No."

Furious, Karasu immediately rose to her feet. "Why not!? Have you forgotten that he nearly killed Naga-kun!? As a member of his family, I have the right to avenge him! It's a matter of honor!"

"We are not here to deny you that right, but you need to consider the fact that you could be killed as well if you were to confront Braco alone," Iori explained to her.

"I don't care!"

"But Nagata will! He will blame himself if anything ever happened to you, and I don't want to be the one to tell him that you won't be coming home!"

Karasu immediately shut up after that. Iori was right. Nagata would be devastated by her death. She took a deep breath and calmly sat back down.

"I apologize for my outburst," said Karasu.

"I accept your apology. Believe me, I know how you feel," Iori replied sympathetically. If anyone had hurt Kochu or Riri, he wouldn't rest until he avenged them.

"So, we separate them and fight them individually. Who will end up fighting who then?" Mitsuki asked.

"That's what we're going to be deciding here. But we may need to be worried about Braco the most. He took the Seal of Heaven. That means he'll be more powerful than before, more powerful than Chojo," answered Iori. As strong as Chojo had become, she was ultimately a regular human woman. Braco was a complete monster and a high caliber martial artist to boot. Whatever the Seal of Heaven turned him into would chew up Chojo like nothing.

Hideyoshi's expression soured at the mention of Chojo. Oh, he remembered how much he hated her for keeping Totaku hostage in order to usurp the throne. She was a nightmare after her demonic transformation. Fortunately, she was gone now.

"Hey, here's a crazy thought. What if he decides to share the Seal of Heaven's with his pals so they could all power up?" Haru suggested.

Iori blinked and responded to the unexpected question after a brief pause, "...That...that is an excellent question." He never considered the idea of Braco sharing the power of the Seal of Heaven. He came up with plans that focused on Braco keeping all the power for himself. What he remembered from the show depicted Braco as selfish, ambitious and willing to use his own comrades as pawns. But what if he did end up sharing all that power? It was a frightening thought. They needed a contingency plan.

"Fighting just one monster empowered by the Seal of Heaven is scary. Fighting five of them is going to be a completely horrific nightmare," Ichiro grimaced.

"Only this is a nightmare we won't be able to wake up from," Hideyoshi blanched as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "We're so _fucked_."

"I say we go all out and transform straight into Sovereign Arms at the start of the fight," suggested Mitsuki.

"Is it wise to go all out so early in the fight?" Ichiro asked.

Masataka seconded, "If the opponent decides to use the power of the Seal of Heaven, that means we must respond in kind."

"Fight fire with fire," Mitsuki agreed.

"That sounds good for you, but what about the rest of us who don't have Sovereign Lockseeds?" Haru asked. Besides Mitsuki, Masataka and Hideyoshi, the strongest Lockseeds they had in their possession were A-Class. Haru himself had an S-Class Energy Lockseed too, but that still may not be enough.

"We'll just make do with what we have," Iori answered resolutely. He was still keeping Masataka's GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed, but he was also hoping that his new power would emerge. Ryugen-Yomi's presence would be really appreciated at the battle, but Iori had yet to uncover how to do it and bringing out the power to change into that form.

The next couple of hours were spent discussing the Five Venom Fists while formulating strategies and plans on how to beat them. They decided to bring in the strategists to help them. Iori had shared what he knew about the Five Venom Fists with them. The other Armored War Gods also shared their own accounts from personal experience. Their own input could make all the difference and decide the outcome of this battle.

* * *

For the next several days, preparations were made to fortify Touka Village. Braco promised he would return and there was a high possibility that he was going to come back with an army to raze their home to the ground. Using the time they were given, the Armored War Gods trained in Helheim Forest. It was the only place they could train without giving away anything.

Since the armies of the Alliance came and gathered together, allies who had fought and survived together during both **The Fall of Rakuyo** and **The Siege of Korou Fortress** used their time together to reconnect and catch up. Mitsuki and Masataka would frequently check in with their respective kingdoms. Being away for any extended period of time would provide their enemies with the opportunity to attack. That was not something they could afford. While Touka Village and Shoku were at risk right now, they prioritized their own kingdoms. They needed to be vigilant as carelessness could bring ruin. They just couldn't leave the places they called home defenseless.

Masataka also sent out soldiers on Dandeliners to perform aerial reconnaissance and scout the area for their enemy's arrival. They were also ordered to not engage the enemy. While the White Devil was willing to take risks, he wasn't one to take on unnecessary risks if he could help it. The Dandeliners might be able to slow Braco and his forces down, but it was too risky and dangerous to intercept the enemy. What they needed was information on how many soldiers Braco was bringing with him. That way, they could prepare accordingly.

Another bit of strategic thinking was to maintain the illusion that Nagata was dead. Braco believed he had killed the Blue King of Shoku and they would continue to have him believe that. Nobody but the Shoku Faction's inner circles and their fellow Armored War Gods knew that Nagata was still alive, despite being in a death-like state. He was vulnerable right now, and if their enemies knew that he was still alive then there would be another attempt on his life. As long as the enemy believed that he was dead, they would leave him alone.

When Masataka accepted Ryuubi's request for help, he had to argue with Sonken to let him go. Honestly, he could understand why she wouldn't want him to go. She was afraid of losing him again. She didn't want to lose another loved one. So, they made a compromise. Masataka would be allowed to aid the Shoku Faction but he wouldn't be going alone. He would be bringing an army and Shuutai along to accompany him. Shuutai felt this was fair as she wanted to redeem herself as she had failed to protect him before. Sonken was hesitant, but she didn't want to look like she was turning her back on her allies. So, with great reluctance, she permitted it.

Currently, Masataka was sitting in the castle's garden, under a gazebo with Iori and Shuutai. The Demon Dragon had called them here because he had something important he needed to do.

"There's something I need to return to you," confessed Iori as he revealed that he was in possession of Masataka's GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed. Masataka was silent as he looked at both items.

Shuutai was speechless. She believed that they were still with the imposter but it would appear that Shoku's own Demon Dragon had retrieved them.

Iori grew uncomfortable with the silence and asked, "Well?"

"I'm not going to ask how you got them, but I think you should keep your hands on them for now. I have a feeling you're going to need them," Masataka advised him.

"Zangetsu-sama?" Shuutai questioned. Was he really declining the return of his own equipment?

"Are you sure?" Iori asked.

Masataka answered, "Considering the nature of our enemy, we are going to need all the help and power we can get our hands on."

Iori considered Masataka's words deeply. He was right. In the next battle, they would need to use all the power they had at their disposal. Masataka pretty much gave him permission to use his gear, and Iori would make sure it was put to good use. Nise had used Zangetsu-Shin's appearance as a villain, now Iori would redeem Zangetsu-Shin, making him a hero and protector.

"Anyway, I'm leaving them in your care, for now, Tokugawa-kun. But rest assured, I am going to want them back," Masataka added. "Thank you for being honest and for the tea." He and Shuutai finished their tea and left Iori with his equipment and his thoughts.

As they walked away, Shuutai asked, "Zangetsu-sama, are you sure it's wise to allow Ryugen-dono to use your equipment?"

"He needs it more than me right now. Besides, I can tell he wants to pay Braco back for what he did to Oda-kun," Masataka answered.

"So, you just want to help him," she concluded.

Masataka confirmed, "Exactly. Friends are supposed to help each other, after all."

Shuutai rarely argued with Masataka's reasoning, lest it caused him harm. She understood what he was doing now. By allowing Iori to use the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed, he was providing an ally with the means to access more power.

She always admired Masataka since the first day she met him and was overjoyed when she was assigned to him as his bodyguard. They kept a strictly professional relationship, but sometimes they acted like friends. He was even amused by her love for cats, something that would seem embarrassing considering her occupation. Too bad he would be marrying Sonken soon. Shuutai would've loved to have him as her husband.

She hid her feelings, of course. It just wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, how could she compare to someone like Sonken, their queen? She was just a soldier and Sonken was royalty.

As Iori sat in the gazebo, he took out his Budou Lockseed and compared it with the Melon Energy Lockseed. Would the power of Zangetsu-Shin be enough or should he try to awaken Ryugen-Yomi?

* * *

Kanu went to check up on Nagata. She put on a brave front for others. After all, she was the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter and Gaim's top general. She had an example to set. However, she was not just a warrior. She was a young woman at well. Gently, she stroked his cheek. He felt so cold. Fortunately, he managed to survive a lethal venom that absolutely killed its victims. According to Braco, his True Poison could also resurrect the dead. That kind of ability could be counted as a miracle. But coming from someone like Braco, it sounded more like a violation against nature, a curse, an abomination.

Kanu gently held his hand in hers and pleaded, "Wake up please, Nagata-sama. We need you." She loved him so much and she missed hearing his voice and seeing him like this just hurt so much. " _I_ need you."

Karasu glared at Kanu as she spied on her from the doorway. Scowling, she turned her back and walked away. She walked past Mitsuki who was on his way to Nagata's bedroom. The two gave each other a glance before they continued on their way.

Ryofu stood guard in front of Nagata's bedroom door. When she saw Mitsuki arrive, she allowed him entry.

"Kanu," Mitsuki greeted curtly as he entered the bedroom.

"Ah, Baron-dono," responded Kanu. He noted the trace of tears on her face but did not comment.

"How is he?"

"Kada-sensei says he's stable. According to him, it's a miracle that Nagata-sama even survived."

"I stopped believing in miracles a long time ago. What happened here is that Oda has an incredibly strong will to live."

She noted a hint of respect in Mitsuki's voice but did not comment.

Mitsuki looked directly at Nagata's comatose body and said, "You better wake up, Oda. You and I have unfinished business."

When Mitsuki heard Shoku was in trouble, he did not hesitate to come to their aid. He had two reasons for coming here.

The first reason was that he owed Nagata a debt for saving Sousou's life.

The second reason was that Mitsuki wanted to test his new power against the Venom Fists. They were supposed to be elite fighters so this was his chance to see how he held his own against them in a fight. This time, there would be no holding back.

"Hey, does anyone mind if I come in?" Masataka asked as he entered Nagata's bedroom.

"Zangetsu-dono," Kanu greeted with respect.

"What are you doing here?" Mitsuki asked.

"I came to see Oda-kun," Masataka answered. "Tell me, does he still have his SengokuDriver?"

"It's right here," Kanu answered as she pulled the blanket away to reveal that Nagata was still wearing his SengokuDriver. Locked inside the Drive Bay was the Kachidoki Lockseed.

"You haven't removed it?" Masataka asked.

"We couldn't. We tried, but it just won't come off. We fear we may harm Nagata-sama if we tried to be more forceful, so we left it alone," Kanu answered.

"And the Lockseed wouldn't come out either," Masataka assumed. Kanu confirmed with a nod. "I guess this is for the best. Not many people know this, but when someone is wearing a SengokuDriver they can use Lockseeds as a replacement for food. I found this out when I spent an entire day in my armor and never went hungry."

"So he won't starve?" Kanu asked, sounding relieved and amazed.

"No, he will not. So you won't have to worry about him going hungry or being malnourished," he reassured her.

"That explains why I don't feel so hungry after I use mine," realized Mitsuki. That was good to know.

* * *

Another day came. Kaku woke up early as she usually did. As the head maid, she had responsibilities and duties to perform. She also needed to pick up the slack. Most of the maids had evacuated with the villagers. She couldn't blame them. They were afraid of an imminent large-scale attack. Unlike them, Kaku was no stranger to danger and war. She was once a military strategist after all.

Kaku also woke up early so she could wake Totaku up. Her best friend tends to oversleep so she would need a wake up call.

After a quick bath and changing into her uniform, Kaku went to wake Totaku up. She didn't even knock and simply opened the door.

"Yue, it's time to wake up!"

And then Kaku froze right in the doorway.

Totaku was in bed, but she wasn't alone. Lying under the covers with her, with an arm draped over her, was Hideyoshi. The petite maid was snuggled up against him.

Their clothes, undergarments included, were lying at the foot of the bed.

Once the verdette managed to process all this, she reacted as expected.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

This woke up the sleeping couple and when they saw Kaku, they attempted to cover themselves with the blanket and reacted the same way.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

It was a three-way scream fest that woke up the rest of the castle.

* * *

"What is it, Kenshin?"

"I think my bro just got lucky."

"That's nice. Now come back to bed."

"OK, Miyabi."

* * *

"We thought we were under attack," Karasu admonished. "Why were you screaming bloody murder?"

"I apologize. I just saw something that startled me," replied Kaku.

"Want to talk about it?" Karasu asked.

Kaku shook her head and answered, "I would much rather forget about it and carry on with my duties, Idunn-sama."

"Where's your partner?" Karasu asked and Kaku shuddered.

"She's attending to Gridon right now."

* * *

Haru and Ichiro were with the rest of the soldiers in the castle's courtyard, getting ready for the upcoming battle. The soldiers were currently going through drills and training while the man in Nanban Barbarian attire was doing stretches with Haru to get warmed up.

Haru Hattori was a strong warrior. In fact, among the Armored War Gods, he was one of the strongest in terms of hand-to-hand combat. The only weapons he needed were his fists, enhanced either by his Kurumi Bombers or Coco Boxers. He also trained hard every day. In the morning he would do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and finish his daily workout with a 10-kilometer run.

He did this every single day, without fail.

Haru admitted he got the idea from reading a manga. At first, it was difficult to accomplish each and every day, but he gradually got used to it. The pain was something he could have done without, but ' _ **no pain, no gain**_ '.

"Hey, Hattori-kun, Tokugawa-san," Masataka addressed both Haru and Ichiro as he found them in the courtyard.

"Hey, Zangetsu. What's up?" Haru asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just glad that you guys are here right now. I mean, I know Tokugawa-san's here for his brother, but you must be really brave to help us out, Hattori-kun," Masataka smiled.

"Well, yeah. Me and Nagata are tight like bros," Haru answered.

"I'm just amazed Ensho let you come here."

"Well, you know Reiha-chan. She can't say no to me," Haru grinned.

"Still, it's just so heroic that you're really willing to risk your life to help out a friend."

Ichiro cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me, but is something wrong?"

"Why would you ask, Tokugawa-san?" Masataka wondered.

"You're acting a bit strange, Miyamoto-san," Ichiro pointed out. "You're acting oddly supportive and positive."

"Yeah, he's got a point," Haru agreed.

"No, I'm just glad that you're here to help us against a powerful enemy, that's all," Masataka reassured them. Unfortunately, he failed as realization dawned on Ichiro.

"You think we're going to **die**!" Ichiro accused.

"Wait, what!?" Haru cried out.

Masataka denied, "No I don't!"

"You do! You seriously do!" Ichiro insisted.

"Look, OK. I'll be straight with you. According to Tokugawa-kun, Braco has the Seal of Heaven. The last enemy we had that used that Seal of Heaven was a _human_ who got turned into a raging she-demon. Braco's an actual monster with martial arts training and mastery of Rinki. Plus, he has friends. Hideyoshi-kun, Akechi-kun and I at least stand a better chance since we have Sovereign Lockseeds. I was only trying to help you feel better with words of encouragement."

"By giving us a false sense of hope? You're pretty much saying that _we_ don't stand a chance," Ichiro accused. "Thanks a lot," he added sarcastically.

"Yeah, that's not cool, bro," agreed Haru.

"Well, look at the bright side..." Masataka trailed off into silence.

Ichiro glared after a moment of awkward silence. "You know, when you say _that_ , you should follow up with the 'bright side'."

"I know," Masataka conceded shamefully. Despite being a leader himself, he wasn't very good at pep talks. It was why he always left those kinds of speeches to Sonsaku. He somehow could make people feel worse with just a few words. He probably should've kept his mouth shut to avoid this awkward situation. This was why he could never be student council president and just remained the secretary.

Still, he could give advice just fine. It was why Sonsaku made him Sonken's personal advisor. Though he suspected that was her way of making sure that they spent more time together. He was Sonken's fiancé after all.

"Look, we're all in this together, and I'm pretty sure we got this. What can possibly go wrong?" spoke Haru.

Ichiro facepalmed. Haru Hattori had just jinxed them.

* * *

Karasu was in her bedroom. She had her hand clenched tightly around her Ringo Lockseed. Her usual calmness was replaced with utter rage.

"Braco..." she growled. "You're _mine_."

The snake kaijin dared to hurt her beloved Naga-kun. He was going to pay, even if she was going to have to kill him over and over until he ran out of fangs to bring himself back to life.

There was a knock at her door and Karasu looked up to see Chou'un and Bacho standing in her doorway.

"It's time, isn't it?" Karasu asked as she put on her mask.

"One of our scouts just returned and informed us that Braco and his army will be arriving soon," Chou'un answered. Karasu nodded. She got up and followed them out.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask. Why do you like to wear that mask when we go out to fight?" Bacho asked.

"It helps to strike fear in the hearts of my enemies," Karasu answered matter-of-factly.

"Does it really work?"

"The screaming bandits would agree."

"I can see that happening. It's very well made," Chou'un concurred. Whenever she went out as Kachou Kamen, people always looked at her in awe. Well, that was what she believed at least.

"Thank you," Karasu accepted the compliment. While she did not like how much influence these girls had on her Naga-kun, they were her cousin's beloved friends. Until he woke up, she would have to protect them.

Though, it would be better if they didn't insist on spending so much time with him.

"Alright, Sei, Idunn-sama. Let's show those bastards what happens when they mess with us!" Bacho said excitedly. She was looking forward to avenging Nagata. When he didn't wake up, she had cried herself to sleep. He meant a lot to her and to see him in such a state was painful.

Chou'un felt the same way. Even though she enjoyed teasing Nagata from time to time, he really was a good friend who tolerated her rather flighty moments. It wasn't like she went AWOL on purpose. She was just out gathering information. She was good at it too. Only, she always did it without permission or informing anyone. No wonder he always got upset with her and hid away her precious menma. She was fond of Nagata and felt helpless when she saw him in such a horrid state. Her grip was firm on her Dragon Fang.

It was time to go to war.

* * *

"It's time," Hideyoshi said as he put on his SengokuDriver and turned to face Totaku. He took her hands in his and spoke reassuringly. "I'm going to fight, Yue-hime. This time I _will_ protect you."

"Be careful, Hideyoshi-kun," Totaku said to him.

"I promise, Yue-hime. I will be back," swore Hideyoshi.

The two shared a kiss. It was such a beautiful sight as Kaku watched approvingly.

"I love you," Totaku said to him.

"I love you too," Hideyoshi smiled before he went and left, holding his Xuanwu Lockseed. Totaku had faith in him. He could not-would not fail her. He promised to come back to her and that's exactly what he was going to do.

"He'll be back, Yue," reassured Kaku.

"I know he will, Ei-chan. He is after all _my_ Armored War God," Totaku smiled.

* * *

Mitsuki was taking a dip in the river. Wearing only his pants, he used a bucket to splash water all over his body. Standing nearby, with her back turned to him, was Ukin. As his bodyguard, her job was to protect him. But, the temptation to look over her shoulder was beginning to overwhelm her. Her face was flushed and her glasses were fogged up as she tried to control both her breathing and heart rate.

"Hey, Baron-sama! Are ya done yet?" Riten called as she suddenly showed up, causing Ukin to shriek.

"I'm done, Mao," Mitsuki responded as he stepped out of the river. Riten licked her lips at his fine physique and Ukin nearly fainted at the sight of her topless leader. He picked up his towel that was lying on a boulder and began drying himself.

"Everyone's getting ready to go and are waiting for you," Riten informed him as he got dressed. Ukin hid her face with her hands as Mitsuki put on his shirt before putting on his coat.

"Thank you for informing me, Mao. Sawa, let's go," Mitsuki ordered.

"Hai!" Ukin jumped and followed Mitsuki. Riten walked alongside her bespectacled friend and grinned.

"So, did you enjoy the view?" Riten teased.

"Please, don't tease me about that!" Ukin responded in a hushed tone.

"Come on, you're his bodyguard now. Enjoy the _perks_. I know I would."

"That sounds dirty!"

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're not the least bit attracted to our commander."

"What are you two talking about back there?" Mitsuki asked.

"Nothing, sir!" Ukin denied.

"Just having a conversation between friends, Baron-sama," Riten added.

"Fine, but remember that we'll be heading into battle soon, so I want you two to stay focused. I don't want to lose any of my lieutenants if I can help it."

Ukin and Riten were touched by his concern for them, but they already knew how much he cared about them. Ever since he made them his personal lieutenants, they never once regretted the decision to stick by him. He had handpicked them personally, but they were the ones who wanted to stay with him.

Mitsuki and his two lieutenants rejoined the rest of the Crimson Guard. Gakushin was preparing them for battle.

"How are the men?" Mitsuki asked. "Are they ready?"

"Yes, Baron-sama," Gakushin confirmed. Mitsuki gazed towards his men. Assembled before him were the soldiers under his command, ready to fight, kill and die in his name. They were among the best of the Crimson Guard and they would perform their duties loyally and without hesitation.

Mitsuki raised his voice and shouted, "Crimson Guard, today we're going to be taking on those undead zombie bastards! So, I want you to do your best to send them back to their graves where they belong! Can you do that?"

"YES SIR, BARON-SAMA!" the soldiers chorused.

"Let's give them hell!" Mitsuki yelled and the soldiers roared in agreement.

"Sir, we've spotted an army coming to our location," a Crimson Guardsman reported to Mitsuki.

"Is it the enemy?" Mitsuki asked.

"No, sir." the Crimson Guardsman shook his head.

"Then who is it?"

"You may not like it, sir."

"Just tell me."

"It's…"

* * *

"Oh, darling~!" Ensho cried as she flung herself into Haru's arms. The Ultimate Fist caught his fiancée in an embrace as she kissed him.

"Reiha-chan, what are you doing here?" Haru asked, surprised.

"Well, I couldn't have you fighting without my support, so I sent a message back to Iishe and Toshi to mobilize our army. They needed to pick me up at Sou Gi first before we came to join you," answered Ensho.

Ensho was in her family's battle armor, the same armor worn by Bunshu and Ganryo. The girls were carrying their signature weapons and looked ready for anything.

"You can count on us, Haru-sama!" swore Bunshu.

"Yes, we'll back you up!" claimed Ganryo as she shouldered her war hammer.

"Ah, you girls..." Haru smiled, touched by their concern. "Come here. Let's bring it together." He put his arms around them in a group hug, with Ensho sandwiched between her two advisors.

Mitsuki palmed his face but watched his mouth. Ensho was useless as a commander and warrior, but she could still get people to listen to her. Her vassals were better warriors than she was. At the very least, she brought along extra soldiers that could be used as cannon fodder.

"You know, I see it but I still don't understand how they're a couple," Hideyoshi observed Haru and Ensho's interaction.

"Love is blind, I guess," Ichiro commented.

"He's probably a beast in the sack," Iori suggested.

"Really, Iori?" Ichiro deadpanned.

"Do I need to remind you that you got married to a woman you barely knew and also consummated your marriage in the same day, Onii-san?" Iori shot back. Ichiro had the decency to keep silent.

"Whatever the reason she's here for, our forces have increased in numbers. That's all that should matter," said Masataka. Statistically, he stood to lose fewer men if there were reinforcements from the other factions.

"Hopefully Hattori can get her up to speed," remarked Mitsuki.

* * *

"Alright, deep breaths. Deep breaths..." Ryuubi repeated to herself like a mantra.

Ryuubi stood before the assembled soldiers, ready to give a speech. Usually, it was Nagata who would be giving the speeches, but he was currently unavailable due to his condition. That was why she would have to boost the soldiers' morale. They needed their spirits lifted for the battle that was to come.

"Everyone!" started Ryuubi and all eyes were on her. "You are gathered here today to defend your home-our home together! The home that Gaim-sama gave his life for to protect!

"I must warn you, the enemy we are facing has indeed defeated Gaim-sama! They also say that they will return and no doubt they will bring an army! I plead with you to not show fear in the face of such an enemy! Just because Gaim-sama is not with us right now, it doesn't mean he is not with us in spirit!

"Hope, courage, justice and determination! Those are the ideals that Gaim-sama lived by and are the same ideals we must follow! We have asked for the aid of his fellow Armored War Gods, including the ones who have been chosen by the Sovereigns! They will fight with us! Follow them as you would follow Gaim-sama! Fight not only in his name but for your home and for everyone in Shoku the same way Gaim-sama would!"

There was a moment of silence before a soldier loudly cheered and applauded. This was followed by more applause and cheers from the soldiers and then a loud roar of agreement from the gathered soldiers. Ryuubi smiled and she turned to look at her friends who all smiled in approval. She may not be able to fight as well as Nagata, but she was still able to inspire people as well as he could.

"That was wonderfully done, Touka," praised Kanu.

"Yeah! You really nailed that speech!" added Chouhi happily.

Ryuubi confessed with a smile and a blush, "I only said what Nagata-sama would've said if he was here right now."

"Not a bad speech," Mitsuki admitted. What Ryuubi lacked in terms of expert fighting capabilities, she more than up for it with her charisma. Her words and the conviction she put behind them managed to strengthen the resolve and morale of the soldiers.

"I'm really getting pumped!" Haru cheered as he pounded his fists together.

"Good job, Ryuubi Gentoku," Masataka praised.

* * *

 **KRC:** This was one heck of a chapter for me to write. A lot of planning went into this as well as revisions to get to this point. I mean, it's strange after reading what you write and realize there's something missing or just something that's not needed. I look forward to your reviews. I've enjoyed myself greatly while writing this and I hope you enjoy yourselves just as much by reading. Feedback is also greatly appreciated. Please **Fave** , **Follow,** and **Review**. Oh, and one more thing: **I don't do requests**. You can give me ideas, but I may not do them.

 **TFP:** Well, the battle for Shoku is about to begin. All the players are set and they are just waiting for the battle to start. It's a powder keg ready to explode and the spark is about to be dropped. What more can we say? Let the epic battle of the ages begin!

* * *

An evil army of the undead was marching its way towards Touka Village. Leading the march were the four members of the Five Venom Fists. Banners holding the images of the Five Venom Fists' signature animals were carried and raised proudly by the Rinshi.

Back in the RinJyuDen, Braco sat on his throne while monitoring everything via the viewing screens. He wore a sinister smile as he looked forward to the upcoming slaughter. His eyes flashed purple as the Dorinki pumped through his body.

Soon, Touka Village and the rest of Shoku would be nothing more than a dead wasteland. And once they were done with Shoku, the rest of the nation would follow...and then the world.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #4: THE LEAGUE OF LITTLE LOLIS**

"I call to order this meeting of the League of Little Lolis!" Sonshoko announced.

"Our first order of business should be to change the damn name," grumbled Juniku.

"The name stays!" Sonshoko objected. "Now, can anyone tell me what our league is all about?"

"To show even small boobs are good," Hoto said as she raised her hand up.

"And we're great even if we don't get boobs," added Chinkyuu as she raised her fist.

"And that even little girls like us can be good lovers," Komei said as she also raised her hand.

"Exactly!" Sonshoko nodded. "For too long we have been overshadowed by big boobs! I mean just look at them!" She pointed on the blackboard which had pictures of all the girls with big breasts posted on it. "How can we compete with that?"

"By being cute!" Hoto chirped.

"By being adorable!" Chinkyuu proclaimed.

"By being _moe_!" Komei suggested.

"Exactly! If we can't win with sex appeal, we'll win with cute appeal!" announced Sonshoko. "Now onwards, League of Little Lolis! Let's show everyone that the Little Sister Appeal can still work!"

"YEAH!"

"What have I gotten myself into?" Juniku mumbled.

And so began the Anti-Boob Revolution.

"DOWN WITH BIG BOOBS!"

"BIG BOOBS ARE GREAT!"

"DOWN WITH BIG BOOBS!"

"BIG BOOBS ARE GREAT!"

The Little Loli League met fierce opposition from the Nanban Barbarians who supported and love big breasts. Nagata stood on the sidelines with Ichiro.

"What the hell is happening?" Nagata asked.

Ichiro could only shrug helplessly.

"DOWN WITH BIG BOOBS!"

"BIG BOOBS ARE GREAT!"

"DOWN WITH BIG BOOBS!"

"BIG BOOBS ARE GREAT!"

"You know what? I'm just going not interfere and let this all play out. You want to go get something to drink?" Nagata asked.

"Sure," Ichiro accepted.

"DOWN WITH BIG BOOBS!"

"BIG BOOBS ARE GREAT!"

"DOWN WITH BIG BOOBS!"

"BIG BOOBS ARE GREAT!"


	5. Venomous Raid Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

 **KRC:** Before we begin this chapter, I want to give my thanks to everyone who has **faved** and **followed** this story. I would also like to thank the reviewers for their support. It really makes me feel good knowing there are still people who want to read this story. So, I'm inviting you all to join the forum. You should be able to find a link on my profile page. One is for the **Armored War Gods Saga** , and the other is for the **Armored War Gods Omake**. Please, join us.

Also, I'm aware I've lost some readers, and you know what that's not really a big issue. Because as long as there are people who want to read the story, I'll keep writing. Sure, there will be times when we'll get a bad review and horrible criticism. But look at it this way: sometimes it's best to be noticed than to be ignored. As long as you get some attention on your story, just consider it good since it'll be good enough to be noticed. If people think it's bad, that's just their opinion. Don't let it affect you or how you write. Don't even let it change how you write. But you may need to change and adapt as you grow as a writer.

* * *

"So, will you help us?" Iori asked his brother as he sat in the tree castle with Ichiro and the Nanban Barbarians. He had just finished explaining their situation and why they desperately needed Ichiro's help.

The Nanban Barbarians' territory had expanded and merged with the territory of the Hu Tribe, which would explain all the new huts that now stood around Mokaku's tree castle. Iori could see many Hu Tribe warriors, all female, standing guard with spears and assorted weapons. As Ichiro was the husband of the Hu Tribe's chief, he was a very important figure.

"You're in trouble, Iori. Of course, I'll help you," Ichiro answered without any hesitation.

"And we'll help too!" declared Mokaku as she raised her fist proudly.

"Yeah!" Shamu, Mike, and Tora cheered as they mimicked their leader.

"Sorry, girls, but a monster army is a bit too much for you," Ichiro told them, gently rejecting their help. This disappointed the Nanban Barbarians, but Mokaku immediately perked up.

"Make sure to come back safe then, Onii-sama!" Mokaku ordered.

"You got it!" Ichiro saluted. "Nya!"

"Nya~!" the Nanban Barbarians meowed as they were swept into a hug.

"Be careful, my husband," said Shamoke as she hugged him as well.

Iori gazed at the sight fondly before he and his big brother headed out. They mounted their Lockvehicles which roared to life and the Tokugawa Brothers sped into a Helheim portal together.

Many of the Hu Tribe members were startled by the roars of the motorcycles as they had never before seen or heard of such machines before, but they managed to calm down once both Ichiro and Iori left. Shamoke and the Nanban Barbarians, however, couldn't help but feel anxious when Ichiro vanished into the portal.

He might've denied the help of the Nanban Barbarians, but he never said anything about the Hu Tribe's help being unwelcomed.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 5-1: Venomous Raid (Part 1)**

* * *

The five armies were assembled outside of the walls that surrounded Touka Village. You could tell which army belonged to which factions based on their colors. The Crimson Guard, the Moon Brigade, Kosonsan's army, Ensho's army and Shoku's army had their flags raised proudly. They may come from different factions, but today they would be fighting as one. It was just like the Anti-Tyrant Alliance all over again.

They stood in a defensive formation. The Moon Brigade, with swords, shields, and Lockseeds ready, were positioned as the vanguard as they stood at the front of the formation. In the middle were Kosonsan's and the Shoku Faction's army. Finally, the rearguard consisted of the Crimson Guard and Ensho's army who were waiting to be deployed.

Scouts kept a lookout for Braco or any member of the Venom Fists. Braco promised he would return, and with Nagata out of commission, he wouldn't want to wait long before making good on his promise.

Idunn stepped out of a Helheim portal. She had gone on ahead to scout for Braco's arrival. She then went into a tent to see Iori standing over a map.

"Did you see them, Oda-san?" Iori asked once he saw her enter.

Idunn answered, "I saw an army of those pale-faced freaks heading this way, but Braco wasn't with them. I did see four Rinrinshi leading them, though. They wore colored sashes so I assume they are the remaining members of Braco's team."

"How long until they reach us?" Iori inquired.

"With this path they've chosen, less than an hour," Idunn estimated as she pointed at the map that was laid out on the table.

"Then it's a good thing we got the villagers out of here when we did."

As they were expecting a huge battle to take place, all the villagers were evacuated and sent away to wait until everything settled down. This was to reduce any unnecessary loss of life. Nobody wanted any innocent casualties.

Shibai, Chinkyuu, Riri, Totaku, Kaku and Komei remained in the castle where it was safe as they stayed with Nagata to watch over him. Ryofu stood guard over them, ever vigilant, ready to defend. Kada was there as well to take care of his patient.

Defending the perimeter of the castle were Shoku Army soldiers along with members of the Crimson Guard and the Moon Brigade. Some members of the Moon Brigade were clad in the robust Suika Arms armor, acting as sentries. A few were mounted on Tulip Hoppers and there were a few Inves standing guard as well. As Masataka was both the Moon Brigade's commander and Head of the Lockseed Distribution Department, it came as no surprise that the Moon Brigade came equipped with Lockseeds. While the Shoku Army soldiers were initially wary of the otherworldly monsters, Iori assured them that the Inves would not attack them unless they dropped their Lockseeds. So for their own safety, they should be careful and not accidentally drop their Lockseeds.

Mitsuki's Crimson Guard was made up of powerful fighters as well. He constantly put them through rigorous training drills and consistently put them through intense training sessions every morning. It didn't come to anyone's shock when the men came. They were fit and muscular, with hardened expressions and equipped with powerful weapons. As part of the rear guard, Riten's own weapons were in position. It took some time to assemble them, but they were truly an awesome sight to behold once they were fully assembled and placed in position.

"Touka, are you sure about fighting on the frontline with us?" Kanu asked her sworn sister. She had been surprised when Ryuubi volunteered to lead in the frontlines. This time, Ryuubi wore an expression of determination with the Dragon Claw sword hanging from her hip within its ornate scabbard.

"Nagata-sama told me that one day I will be leading Shoku. I intend to honor his words," Ryuubi replied firmly. Nagata had been training her to fight with her sword ever since they met. It would be a waste of those lessons if she just hid away in the safety of the castle.

"I understand, Touka, but this is going to be dangerous," Kanu voiced her concern. She had nearly lost Nagata and she didn't want to lose any more people that she cared about.

"Do not worry, Aisha. I will keep her safe," promised Gien.

Iori stepped over to Ryuubi to inform her of their next move.

"Ryuubi, we're going to go on ahead to intercept them," Iori informed the current leader of the Shoku Faction. "You'll remain on standby to defend the village."

"Understood," Ryuubi complied.

"Airen, be careful," Kochu said to her husband.

"I will. I don't intend to leave you and Riri," Iori promised.

"Alright, let's henshin and roll out people!" declared Haru.

"I'll remain here," Idunn volunteered.

"Are you sure about that?" Iori asked.

"Someone has to stay in case Braco shows up."

"We talked about this. You can't confront him alone. He could kill you," Iori warned.

"I don't intend to die, but I don't intend to let him get his way either," Idunn responded adamantly.

Iori sighed. "I won't be able to change your mind, will I?"

"I doubt it."

"Fine..." He instructed, "If he does show up, call us immediately. I'd ask you not to engage him, but you would anyway."

"I'll stall him for as long as I can until you get back," she replied.

"Alright then. I'm counting on you, Oda-san."

Masataka, Mitsuki, and Hideyoshi activated their Sovereign Lockseeds.

 **[BAIHU!]**

 **[ZHUQIAO!]**

 **[XUANWU!]**

Haru activated his own standard Lockseed.

 **[COCONUT!]**

The Tokugawa Brothers activated their Lockseeds too. While Masataka had permitted Iori the use of his GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed, he would not be using them until later.

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY!]**_

 **[BUDOU!]**

" _HENSHIN!"_ the Riders chorused.

 **[LOCK ON!]** _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

 **[SOIYA!** **BAIHU ARMS!** **BYAKKO NO KIBA, TENSHIN!]**

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO ARMS! FLIGHT OF PHOENIX!]**

 **[COME ON! XUANWU ARSM!** **KUROTAMA NO TATE, GO ON!]**

 **[COCONUT ARMS! HEAVY DUTY MUSCLEMAN!]**

 _ **[SODA! SUIKA ENERGY ARMS!]**_

 **[HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]**

As they transformed, the sight of three Armored War Gods bearing the powers of the legendary Sovereigns was truly awe-inspiring. It was just what the soldiers and generals needed to raise their spirits. It would've still been better if it had been Nagata, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Let's go!" Baron shouted as he took off on flaming wings followed by Zangetsu who was running at blinding speed. Gridon summoned up a wave to surf on, leaving the others to their own devices.

"Come on," prompted Knuckle as he took out his Sakura Hurricane Lockseed while Ryugen and Chulainn did the same.

"Let's go," Ryugen commanded before he and the others sped away on their bikes to intercept the RinJyuKen's forces. It didn't take him and his group long to reach their destination. Moments later, Baron, Zangetsu, and Gridon arrived to meet them.

"What took you guys so long?" Knuckle joked but he was ignored.

"You sure this is the right place?" Zangetsu asked Ryugen.

"Yes, Oda-san confirms it," Ryugen answered.

"And I saw them from the air too," confirmed Baron.

Zangetsu blinked and asked his allies, "You feel that?"

"Yeah," Gridon answered as he trembled slightly in fear. "I do."

"They're here," Baron frowned as he sensed the arrival of their enemy.

The RinJyuKen army was in clear view and coming towards their position. Ryugen clearly spotted four members of the Five Venom Fists leading the Rinshi. They were in their Beastman forms and looked exactly as they did from the JyuKen Sentai Gekiranger TV Series. This, however, was his first time seeing them in the flesh.

There was Maga of the RinJyu Toad-Ken. He was known as the 'Steel-Wall Defender' due to his incredible defensive power. While the slowest and most dimwitted member of the Five Venom Fists, he had still earned himself in a position of the elite masters so he shouldn't be underestimated. His venom could cause chills. He had a bulky orange body with a back covered in warts. His face was covered by a simple silver mouthplate with goggle-like eyes and a mushroom-shaped helmet on his head. He had sharp claws jutting out from his fat forearms. On his chest was the face of his signature animal, the toad.

Walking close to Maga was Sorisa of the RinJyu Scorpion-Ken and was known by the title 'Dancer of Terror'. As her title implied, her fighting style resembled dancing and she mainly used kicks as her primary form of attack: her venom-induced fevers. She had a red and black slender body covered in exoskeletal armor. On her shoulders were scorpion claws and she wore a helmet which resembled a scorpion. Her hair was made up of dreadlocks that hung out of her helmet freely. Each of the dreadlocks was tipped with a scorpion stinger.

Casually twirling his shuriken was Moriya who practiced RinJyu Gecko-Ken. He was an arrogant warrior who possessed the title 'Unconfrontable Delusion Disturber'. His venom could cause paralysis in his victims, allowing him to sadistically torture them at his own leisure. He also liked to talk a lot and loved to boast about his ability since he wouldn't have to limit himself to walking on the ground. He had brown body armor with matching pants and a gecko's face on his chest. His scaly skin was green and he had an armored skirt that resembled gecko feet. He also wore black boots and his face sported multiple diamond-like patterns. Two of the diamonds decorating his face could be his eyes, or maybe all of them were his eyes, giving him a 360-degree field of vision.

Kademu was the creepiest of the quintet as he wore a bag over his head to conceal his ugly appearance. He was known as the 'Many-Handed King of Hell' due to his mastery of the RinJyu Centipede-Ken. His venom could cause agonizing pain. He was just as much as a sadist as Moriya because of that. He wore brown sleeves and pants which looked stitched together. A centipede's head was on his chest. He had centipede legs running up his legs, arms, and shoulders. The antennae on his chest stretched all the way over his shoulders. The bag he wore on his head had an X-shaped cut in the front to allow him sight but it was also covered in stitches. He was the most disturbing to look at, and that was with the bag still on his head.

The only one absent was Braco, the leader of the Five Venom Fists. He was master of the RinJyu Snake-Ken that was known as the 'One-Hit-Kill Sniping Master' due to his deadly precision. He was the one who had put Nagata in a coma. His venom could cause nausea and his True Poison technique could cause instant death in the living and also raise the dead. It was strange not to see him leading this army, but his absence didn't make the group appear any less intimidating. The fact that Braco was absent really bothered Ryugen.

"It's the Five Venom Fists, four of them at least," Ryugen confirmed. He had actually expected this, but the sight of four of the most toxic RinJyuKen Akugata fighters still unnerved him. As he knew just as much about the RinJyuKen as Nagata did, he had explained to the Shoku Warriors of who they were and what they were capable of. He also made sure to warn them to not engage them because of their venom. He also did an entire strategy session with the other Armored War Gods.

Gridon grimaced. He could sense their aura and it felt sick and wrong. Ever since he was exposed to the Seal of Heaven, he gained the ability to sense Ki signatures. The first time he ever sensed and identified Rinki, he knew how wrong it felt. All those negative emotions in one place were just sickening.

Baron and Zangetsu could also sense their enemies' Rinki and knew that if they were going to win and survive this confrontation, they needed to go all out. There was no sense in holding back. It was time to unleash the Sovereigns.

"Don't get scared, Hideyoshi-kun. We'll beat them just like how we beat all our enemies," Zangetsu said encouragingly. He may not be good at speeches, but he could at least offer some encouraging advice.

Gridon offered a forced smile as he lied through his teeth, "Who says I'm scared? I'm _fine_."

The RinJyuKen army stopped their march as they spotted the Armored War Gods standing in the middle of their path as if they were awaiting their arrival.

"So, they came to intercept our forces," Kademu observed. Spotting Gridon, Baron, and Zangetsu, he added, "And it looks that they managed to survive our venom after all. Guess we'll have another chance to finish the job here."

"Heh, so they want a rematch," concluded Moriya.

"Let's get them!" Maga eagerly shouted.

"Patience, Maga-kun. Wait for our orders," Sorisa gently advised.

"Right, sorry."

Braco's mental command reached his comrades, ' _Attack_.'

"ALRIGHT, ATTACK!" Kademu roared. The Venom Fists and Rinshi all charged.

"Here they come," Baron said as he spread his wings threateningly.

" _Ringi! Deigyokudan!"_

" _Hiden Ringi! Jugoku Hen!"_

Sorisa and Maga fired off their techniques, raining scorpions and wart bombs down upon the Armored War Gods.

"Baron! Gridon!" Ryugen called.

 **[COME ON! XUANWU SPARKING!]**

Gridon created a water barrier that instantly deflected the falling wart bombs and scorpions. However, as the wart bombs fell to the ground, they released Maga's toxic gas. As for the scorpions that survived the fall, they scurried towards the Armored War Gods, prepared to sting them to death.

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SPARKING!]**

Baron's wings ignited before spreading out into an impressive wingspan that extended way past their original size. With a single flap, the Crimson Enforcer unleashed a scorching wave of flames that not only fried the scorpions but also burnt away the poisonous gas while incinerating a huge number of Rinshi. Once the Venom Fists' initial attack failed, it was time to strike back.

Ryugen quickly switched Drivers. He tore away his SengokuDriver before he replaced it with the GenesisDriver. In a flash, his Budou Arms armor vanished, leaving him with his Ride Wear suit. Holding the Melon Energy Lockseed, he unlocked it.

 _ **[MELON ENERGY!]**_

"Shin Henshin!"

 _ **[LOCK ON! SODA! MELON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

The Melon Energy Arms Armor Part rotated as it sent juice flying in all directions while it descended upon his head. It disassembled and reconfigured itself before forming his armor. The visor flashed orange as the transformation was complete. The Melon Energy Arms Armor didn't look any different when worn by Ryugen, but Zangetsu-Shin's symbol was replaced by his own personal emblem.

"Ikuzo!" Ryugen shouted as he charged at the army of Rinshi and the Venom Fists with his comrades. As both forces collided, it started a violent clash where survival and victory were the ultimate prize. As the Rinshi swarmed them, the Armored War Gods retaliated. The Rinshi stood no chance against the overwhelming might of the Armored War Gods. No matter what they did, they were slain by the power of the Sovereigns. Rinshi were burnt to ash, slashed to pieces, bashed to bits and even shot down by the combined might of the Armored War Gods. However, the Rinshi were just cannon fodder. The Armored War Gods were seeking their true targets.

Baron scanned his surroundings for his opponent and spotted Moriya. Recalling the humiliation he suffered from his earlier defeat, the Crimson Phoenix Enforcer was quick to engage him. Spreading his wings, Baron soared towards Moriya who saw him coming.

"Catch me if you can, Baron!" taunted Moriya as he took off with Baron hot on his heels.

Zangetsu's Baihu Claws were shredding the enemy Rinshi to pieces while he scanned the battlefield for his target as well. He saw Kademu coming right at him and decided to meet him halfway. Speeding towards Kademu, slicing through any Rinshi in his path, he grabbed hold of him with his claws and dragged him away from the Rinshi to fight him one-on-one.

Gridon found Maga easily enough. Fortunately, the Toad Rinrinshi was not using his toxic gas grenades to spread his venom. It was a pretty dangerous concoction as the chills it caused could seriously hamper the fighting capabilities of their forces. Unfortunately, he was with Sorisa. He was confident enough to face Maga on his own, but not both him and his wife at the same time. Fortunately, he had an idea to separate them. Unfortunately, it was a crazy idea but he really had no other options.

Gridon charged forward and grabbed Maga from behind by using his Xuanwu Spear to pin their bodies together.

"What!?" Maga cried.

"Excuse me, but I'll be borrowing you for a bit!" shouted Gridon as he formed a water spout around them. Then, the spout shot into the sky like a tornado before it curved in midair and went onwards as he tried to find a spot for them to fight.

"Maga-kun!" Sorisa shouted as her husband was carried away. Suddenly, a salvo of energy arrows came swarming towards her. Using her quick reflexes, she executed her signature tornado kick attack.

" _Guren Shuben Kyaku!"_

The energy arrows were deflected and broken by the attack. Once the salvo ended, she flipped to her feet and saw Ryugen and Chulainn coming straight at her. They swung their Sonic Arrows at her, but she caught them in her hands before she kicked the two away.

" **FALCON PUNCH!"**

Sorisa got a faceful of Knuckle's fist as he smashed her with his right Coco Boxer. She was sent skidding backwards by the punch but managed to come to a stop, leaving two long tracks of friction in front of her. She glared at the three Armored War Gods who had dared to confront her as they surrounded her: Knuckle, Ryugen, and Chulainn.

"Oh, so you wanna dance?" Sorisa challenged. " _Let's dance!_ "

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the RinJyuDen and sitting on his throne, Braco watched as his comrades were engaged in combat with the Armored War Gods. They seemed to be focused on them exclusively, ignoring the Rinshi around them. Braco got an idea and decided to use this to his advantage. Delivering a mental command to the Rinshi, he directed them towards Touka Village. With the Armored War Gods preoccupied with his comrades, they wouldn't be able to aid their allies in time.

* * *

"Iori, the Rinshi!" alerted Chulainn as he saw the Rinshi leaving. They could only be heading towards Touka Village.

"Hai, Onii-san!" Ryugen understood and loaded his Sonic Arrow with the Melon Energy Lockseed. Chulainn did the same as he loaded the Suika Energy Lockseed into his own Sonic Arrow.

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

They drew their bowstrings as they leveled their Sonic Arrows at the Rinshi before they aimed skyward. They stretched the strings to maximum tautness as the tips of the Sonic Arrows glowed with power. Once they were charged enough, they released the strings and fired.

 _ **[MELON ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY!]**_

They fired their energy arrows which bloomed in the sky. They first took the form of a melon and a watermelon before both fruit-like projections bursts. Hundreds of energy arrows rained down on the Rinshi, piercing through their bodies and killing them on the spot. The Rinshi scrambled, scattering in all directions, trying to escape the rain of death. However, they only failed as they were struck down where they stood, crumbling to dust before they even hit the ground.

"That should take care of them," Chulainn smiled as the two of them took out all the Rinshi.

"I doubt that, Onii-san. Braco probably has another legion prepared to attack the village in case this one fails," Ryugen countered.

"Now you tell me..." Chulainn groaned. "We better hurry and finish things here if we want to head back to help them in time."

"You're right, but Oda-san and the warriors we left should be able to handle the Rinshi without us," Ryugen reassured confidently. He had faith in their comrades. He had faith in their friends.

Chulainn was uncertain, but he had to trust his little brother. He had been in this world way longer than him.

* * *

Back at Touka Village, the Alliance Army were waiting for their enemies to arrive. The sentries and scouts kept a lookout for any signs of their enemy.

Ensho sat on her throne, bored as she waited for the action to begin. She came to support Haru, even if it meant dirtying her own hands for him. She also had Bunshu and Ganryo to help her out. Her own army was part of the rear guard as well. She really should've complained, but she didn't as she was more annoyed by how the RinJyuKen were keeping her waiting.

"What is taking them so long? Are they trying to bore me to death? How dare they keep me waiting?" Ensho questioned in annoyance as she fanned herself.

"Perhaps the size of our army scared them off," Ganryo suggested hopefully.

"I don't know. Considering how Haru-sama got his butt kicked-" Bunshu was interrupted as Ensho smacked her upside the head with her fan. "Ow!"

"Do not talk about Haru-sama's defeats! They are merely setbacks! Setbacks! He always gets back up and returns the favor!" Ensho defended her fiancé.

Suddenly, the gongs rang, alerting everyone.

"ENEMY SIGHTED!"

A legion of Rinshi came charging towards the Alliance Army like an insane horde. They were rushing towards them, with spears and swords. They only had one intention: to destroy their enemies. The Alliance got ready to meet them when all of sudden...

 **BOOOOOOM!**

...The Rinshi exploded.

 **BOOM!**

 **BOOOM!**

 **BOOOOM!**

A series of explosions erupted in front of the Alliance, shocking and confusing them. The Rinshi were also shocked by this and scattered, only for more of them to fall prey to the explosions. Kosonsan just smirked as their enemies carelessly blew themselves up.

"Wha-what just happened?" Ryuubi asked, confused.

"Looks like someone set up a minefield," Idunn observed.

"You have us to thank for that. _We_ rigged the battlefield," Kosonsan boasted proudly.

* * *

 _ **Flashback: The night before...**_

 _ **[COME ON! KURI ARMS! BA-DA-BOOM!]**_

 _"Alright, plant these over there. And be careful. These things are volatile. We don't want there to be any nasty accidents," Gridon instructed as he handed the two Kuri Caltrops to a couple of Kosonsan's soldiers to plant._

 _Some time ago, Gridon discovered that the Kuri Caltrops couldn't just be used as grenades. They could also function as explosive mines as well. The spikes surrounding the Kuri Caltrops acted as pressure sensors. When pressed down, they would explode, and the spikes would fly as shrapnel. If the initial blast didn't kill the enemy, the shrapnel would. Now he was applying this new knowledge by creating a minefield._

 _He materialized more and more of the Kuri Caltrops, just enough to make a proper minefield, as the soldiers planted them in the marked spots. He supervised them and carefully checked the spots where the Kuri Caltrops were planted. The plan depended on the Kuri Caltrops being well hidden for his strategy to work._

 _Gridon wrung his hands together like an evil mastermind. "Those RinJyuKen bastards won't know what hit them."_

" _Are you sure this trap will work?" Kosonsan asked._

" _Statistically speaking, the Rinshi are most likely to take this path," Gridon answered. "And once they take their first steps here, they'll be in for quite a surprise."_

" _And how did you come up with this idea?"_

" _Surprisingly, the idea came from Kenshin."_

 _ **BOOOOOM!**_

" _Oh, good Heavens! It killed Ken'i!"_

" _You bastard! Be more careful!"_

" _Great, now we have to bury another one," Gridon groaned. "It's a good thing that guy didn't have any family left. We won't have to inform anyone of how he died or offer any compensation."_

 _Kosonsan just stared uncomfortably at her strategist._

* * *

They managed to completely fill the minefield with enough explosives to wipe out a whole battalion, which also cost them the lives of a few good men. Kosonsan just needed to block out how many good men were injured and killed when they planted those explosives.

"Amazing, Paipai-chan!" Ryuubi praised her best friend.

The smoke subsided, revealing their enemies. Most of the Rinshi littered the ground, in pieces, pierced by spikes, or a combination of the two. It was a gruesome sight, but one that didn't last as the dead Rinshi dissolved into purple ash and smoke. The remaining Rinshi hung back hesitantly at this, reluctant to advance after the sudden explosions that had assaulted them.

"Archers! Aim high and fire!" Kochu ordered the archers who were stationed on the wall. That was all the prompting the archers needed as they aimed upwards and at an angle before letting loose their arrows. The Rinshi saw the arrows coming and scattered only to be pierced by the arrows.

"Ready, Aisha, Rinrin?" Ryuubi asked her sworn sisters.

"We will defend the village to our last breath," Kanu swore.

"Yeah! Let smash them for Nagata-niichan!" Chouhi declared.

"You're speaking my language, Rinrin!" Bacho grinned.

"Now this is what I've been waiting for," Batai added.

"I will protect this place in Touka-sama's name," Gien announced.

"And I'll fight for Naga-kun until my last breath," Idunn swore as she drew her Sword Bringer.

Ryuubi drew her sword and gave the order, "MINNA, IKUYO!"

With a united roar, the Alliance Army charged at the RinJyuKen Army. The Rinshi charged right back and collided with the Moon Brigade vanguard. They pounded against the shields of Zangetsu's personal army, but the Moon Brigade were not budging. They pushed back with all their might against the Rinshi.

This did not deter the Rinshi, however. They were agile and quick to improvise. They leapt over the vanguard and slipped into the Alliance's formation before spreading out to attack the soldiers and generals.

Like always, Ukin, Gakushin, and Riten were fighting together. When Mitsuki had chosen them to be his lieutenants, he knew he had picked a good team to be part of his Crimson Guard. The three girls were longtime friends. They trusted each other and watched each other's backs.

"PROTECT YOUR MISTRESS!" Ensho shrieked as she predictably took cover behind her throne. Fortunately, she had Bunshu and Ganryo to protect her as her soldiers fought bravely. Unfortunately, Haru was nowhere to be seen. She would've felt safer if her fiancé was present. He always made her feel safe.

A Rinshi lunged at Ukin from behind her, but Gakushin intercepted it with a kick. Thanking her friend, Ukin hacked and slashed at the Rinshi with her twin swords. Despite being a member of Team Baron, Ukin probably didn't look much like a warrior when wearing her casual outfit. Nonetheless, she was a skilled swordswoman. Her cute appearance made her enemies underestimate her, but like her friends she was strong. Mitsuki's goal was to create the strongest team ever. With Gakushin, Ukin, Riten and even Shibai, the Crimson Guard's power had grown.

Riten gave an order, "Fire catapults!"

The catapults were loaded with boulders and launched towards the Rinshi. The Rinshi were crushed under the boulders. Miraculously, the heavy projectiles managed to avoid hitting any of the Alliance soldiers. Riten grinned before she picked up her drill spear and with the other members of Team Baron joined the soldiers and warriors into battle.

The Shoku Army, led by Ryuubi, fought against the Rinshi furiously. Ryuubi was truly showing the results of her training under Nagata as she swung her sword and cut down a Rinshi. She resisted the urge to celebrate her first kill before she had to parry another Rinshi that tried to stab her with its spear. The Rinshi ended up flattened by Gien.

"Arigato, Enya!" Ryuubi smiled.

Gien replied, "You're welcome-WATCH OUT!"

Ryuubi turned and yelled as she sliced off a Rinshi's head and then she let out a sigh of relief which Gien mimicked. The two then continued to fight, cutting down the oppositions furiously. Nearby, Idunn witnessed the sight. She had mixed feelings. She was impressed by Ryuubi's skill but at the same time, she wished the girl would've been killed by that surprise attack. The day was still young. Anything could happen in this battle.

Kosonsan was leading her own army, fighting alongside them. The redhead, while not very memorable, was still a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. She slashed with her sword, taking down the enemy Rinshi, as her soldiers helped them put the creatures down for good.

The Crimson Guard and Moon Brigade also fought against the undead monsters. They wielded spears, swords, and shields, and smashed against the enemy without restraint. Shuutai, as instructed by Zangetsu, also fought on the frontlines. Using her speed and agility, the Rinshi fell. She threw kunai at the Rinshi, hitting them in the heads, and then moved on to kill more with her blade.

Gakushin's fists connected with the Rinshi, sending them flying. Nearby, Ukin was cutting them down. Also close by was Riten who was using her big drill-like spear against the Rinshi, gouging their bodies with her weapon. She wished she was using the Suika Arms armor, but Mitsuki told them to leave the Lockseeds behind.

Chouhi sent the Rinshi flying with her weapon and strength, the child warrior shouting excitedly. Nearby, Bacho and Batai were back to back. Their yari flashed as they struck down their opponents. Chou'un was using her speed and striking the undead soldiers with her Dragon Fang, piercing the Rinshi in the heads and hearts.

Idunn sliced and diced with her Sword Bringer, as she used her Apple Reflecter shield to bash the Rinshi around. They were no match for her. They may have numbers on their side, but that was the only real strength they had. In the end, they were just weak cannon fodder. They would suffice to satiate her bloodthirsty mood.

Kochu provided support fire with the archers, hitting the Rinshi with arrows. She would finish off these undead fiends for her husband, her daughter and in the name of their leader. Being as skilled as she was, she let loose a salvo of arrows at the Rinshi. The archers also followed her example. With the training they got from Kochu and Iori, their aim was true and the Rinshi fell as they were riddled with arrows.

The rest of the soldiers also fought. There were casualties among them, but they still continued to fight in order to defend their home. Though they fell, they fell with honor and would not have it any other way.

* * *

As the battle for Shoku was taking place, the Armored War Gods focused their attention on the Venom Fists. Iori had devised a simple strategy. They needed to separate the Five Venom Fists from their army and each other to engage them alone.

It was time to divide and conquer.

Baron decided to confront Moriya, Zangetsu had selected Kademu as his opponent, and Gridon had chosen to face Maga. That left the remaining three Armored War Gods (Ryugen, Chulainn, and Knuckle) to confront Sorisa.

But where was Braco? Why wasn't he here?

Currently, Braco was watching the entire battle from the safety of his own fortress to see how it would all play out. He was waiting for the right time to show himself. When it was time, he would finish off their enemies with his newfound power. Until then, there was no reason for him to waste his energy. Until the time was right, he would observe and let his comrades have their fun.

Baron pursued his opponent into the forest. It would appear that the deceitful one of the Five Venom Fists wanted to fight in an area where his unique skills could be applied, giving him the best advantage. The ability to stick to vertical surfaces and ceilings served no purpose in an open field after all and a forest full of trees was better than nothing.

That meant Baron couldn't use any fire-based attacks here, lest he caused a forest fire. While burning the forest would prevent Moriya from using the trees for cover, it was not in Baron's nature to deliberately cause collateral damage.

"Can you find me, Baron?" Moriya called tauntingly. His green and brown color scheme allowed him to blend in with his surroundings in the forest. Baron heard his voice but couldn't pinpoint his position. Unfolding his Zhuqiao Talons, he prepared himself for any surprises.

"Come on...just keep talking...let me know where you are..." Baron whispered. As a fighter, he hated underhanded and cowardly tactics. He was fine with strategy, but in a straight up fight, he preferred fighting opponents that weren't afraid to face him, man-to-man. It was why he respected Nagata. Whenever they faced each other, they were on equal ground, and he actually respected the Blue King despite his naivety and compassion.

While Baron could sense Moriya's presence, he wasn't able to pinpoint his exact location. With some more practice of his new Ki-sensing ability, he may be able to, but he still had yet to perfect it. He knew the Gecko-Ken Master was in the forest with him, and he's close by. He just didn't know where his exact position or the exact distance between them.

"Have you ever played 'hide and seek', Baron? It's a really fun game. I like being the hider than the seeker. It's so much fun to mess with someone and wait for them to try and find you."

Baron hated how Moriya was trying to mess with his head. The Rinrinshi could probably see him from where he was hiding but there was no way Baron could find him unless he burnt the entire forest to the ground. Even if he could defeat his opponent that way, it just wasn't in his style to destroy his surroundings just to defeat one opponent.

Well, maybe if he ever got mad enough. Right now, Moriya was just annoying him. However, annoyance could easily turn to anger if the right buttons were pushed.

"It's really frustrating when you can't see your opponent, isn't it? It makes you wonder where they might be when they will strike. Maybe, they'll strike... **NOW**!"

Moriya swiftly jumped down from a branch and slashed Baron with his five-pointed shuriken. Baron stumbled back and glared at Moriya. The Gecko-Ken Master jumped back as Baron swung at him, sticking to the surface of a tree with only the soles of his feet. He began walking backward and went up the tree trunk before crossing his arms and leering at Baron tauntingly.

"Come down here!" Baron spread his wings and took off after Moriya who laughed as he hid behind the trunk. Baron slashed at the tree, only to see that his opponent had vanished. Moriya then came out of nowhere and kicked Baron in the back, knocking him out of the air. He caught himself and turned to face Moriya who was standing on another branch before he jumped back and vanished among the leaves.

Baron's eyes narrowed as flames began to surround his talons. He was mad but he forced himself to calm down. He wasn't going to burn the forest, but he was half-tempted to do so right now if it allowed him to wipe that smirk off Moriya's face.

Moriya continued to hide, watching Baron, frustrating him. Oh, he enjoyed messing with his prey a lot before finally killing them.

"Time for the next round," chuckled Moriya quietly as he took out a set of his shuriken and loaded them with his Dorinki.

" _Midare Shuriken!"_

Baron suddenly found himself assaulted as several shurikens came flying at him from all directions. Spreading his wings, he took off to avoid them. He flew through the forest as the shuriken continued to pursue, slicing off branches and cutting through trees.

"I am Baron, I do not run!" Baron declared as he turned and used his Zhuqiao Talons to deflect the shuriken. They bounced away but did not lose their momentum as they circled around and came flying at him again, slicing through the air. He covered himself with his wings and the shuriken struck into them, sending him crashing to the ground.

Baron heard Moriya's mocking laughter. It incensed him. Suddenly, Moriya jumped out of nowhere and kicked Baron in the back again, sending the two of them crashing to the ground. As Moriya stood victoriously over Baron, the Crimson Enforcer picked himself up and slashed Moriya across the chest, sending the Gecko Rinrinshi staggering.

Moriya threw his right arm at Baron but the Crimson Enforcer sliced it off with one of his talons. Moriya followed up with his left arm, only to have it severed as well. He backed away as he looked down at his severed limbs.

"You...you cut off my arms...!" Moriya screamed. "Aaaaaaahhhhhh-Just kidding!"

Suddenly, Moriya's severed arms lunged towards Baron and wrapped their fingers around his neck. Baron was taken aback by this and tried to pry the hands off as they began to squeeze. Even in his armor, the force of the pressure being applied was strong enough to snap his neck in half. It would just take one more squeeze.

As Baron was being strangled to death by Moriya's severed arms, the reptilian Rinrinshi regrew them. He watched with delight as Baron knelt pathetically on the ground as the life was being squeezed out of him. He had heard of the Armored War Gods and thought they would be a challenge. But if Baron was any indication, they were just a joke.

"Ah, good as new. Thanks to my Secret Ringi, Sokuseiwan, my arms can grow back. Pretty nifty trick, huh?" Moriya asked. He didn't expect an answer from Baron since he was having trouble breathing. "You know, it won't take much effort to snap your neck, but I just enjoy watching you suffer."

Baron uttered something as he was being strangled, "...ut...ur...uth..."

"What was that? I can't hear you," Moriya taunted as he mockingly cupped his ear. He went in closer so he could hear Baron. "Come on, speak up."

All of a sudden, Baron's body erupted in flames. Moriya screamed as he recoiled from the flames as the arms strangling Baron dropped to the ground. They flailed about while being cooked to death. Baron coughed and took in a deep breath as he stood back up.

"I said 'shut your fucking mouth'," Baron said angrily as he glared at Moriya. Folding his Suzaku Talons, Baron opted to settle this fight the old-fashioned way with his bare fists. He dashed towards Moriya and landed a brutal right hook into his opponent's face. Moriya retaliated with a roundhouse kick to Baron's head, but the Crimson Enforcer blocked it with his left forearm and threw a punch with his right. Moriya caught the fist but had to release it when it ignited. Spreading his wings, Baron spun in place and swatted Moriya with his wings, sending him reeling. He then executed a forward jump kick to Moriya's chest, but the Gecko Rinrinshi grabbed hold of the foot and twisted, bringing Baron to the ground.

Baron flipped onto his back and to his feet as Moriya was about to throw down a heel kick. A reverse roundhouse kick collided with Moriya's face. It was followed by a left fist being buried into his gut, causing him to double over. Finally, Baron sent him flying up with an uppercut.

As Moriya descended, he planted his feet upon Baron's chest and started pounding his opponent with a vicious combo of kicks. Baron found himself being knocked backward with each kick before he slammed against a tree trunk. Moriya finished up the combo by bouncing off Baron to tuck his legs in and then extending them to smash Baron through the tree. Baron was blasted across the forest, leaving a trail of fallen trees.

"Gah!" Baron swiftly spread his wings and came to a stop before he soared towards Moriya. The Gecko Rinrinshi saw him coming and leaped over him to dodge. Seeing this coming, Baron flipped his body upside down and shot a fireball at Moriya. While he was in mid-jump, the fireball hit Moriya in the back and exploded, sending him sprawling to the ground. Recovering quickly, the Gecko Rinrinshi leaped into the forest and hid among the trees again.

"Coward," spat Baron. Scanning his surroundings with his narrowed eyes, his wings started to light up. "Well, so much for not burning the forest down."

Meanwhile, Moriya was spying on his prey. He was using the forest for cover, his green and brown color scheme allowing him to camouflage himself, as he considered his next move.

"Hey, is it getting hot in here, or is that just me?" Moriya wondered as he started to feel hot. He also smelt smoke. That was when he realized the tree he was in was starting to catch fire. He quickly jumped to the adjacent tree before it was too engulfed in flames. The fire began to spread all around Moriya and he stood up and began to panic. His butt caught on fire and he yelled in panic as he put it out.

"What's going on!?" Moriya demanded and he realized that Baron was staring right at him. "Can he actually _see_ me!?"

Baron's visor was glowing. In fact, he had discovered another ability of his Zhuqiao Arms: Thermal Vision. It allowed him to see body heat as thermal images. Anything with a significant amount of body heat would look reddish yellow under his gaze. Anything with a significantly low body heat would appear as a purple silhouette.

His Thermal Vision was brought up during an earlier strategy meeting...

* * *

" _So you can actually see heat signatures?" Iori asked._

" _That's right," Mitsuki confirmed. "It happened one day while it was dark. Suddenly, everyone around me just looked like reddish yellow silhouettes."_

" _Must've freaked you out," Haru commented._

" _Not really," Mitsuki shrugged._

" _This is good. Now I know how you can beat Moriya. When the battle begins, get him to the forest," Iori instructed Mitsuki. "You can try to lure him in or chase him towards it."_

" _Wouldn't he have the advantage?" Haru asked. "I mean he was bouncing off the walls back when we fought him. He'll have plenty of perches in the forest. Plus, he'll be perfectly camouflaged."_

" _Not unless Baron burns the forest," Iori answered._

 _Mitsuki rubbed his chin as he realized what Iori was talking about and concluded, "You want me to put him in a situation that would give him an advantage in order to make him overconfident. When he thinks I can't find him, I'll use my powers to set the forest on fire and trap him there. He wouldn't be able to hide since my Thermal Vision would allow me to see him."_

" _And you can even use your flames to lock down his regenerative powers," added Iori._

" _Checkmate," smirked Mitsuki, liking this plan already._

* * *

As Rinrinshi were undead beings, their bodies couldn't naturally produce body heat. It didn't matter how much they tried to emulate being alive. Ultimately, they were just walking corpses. So, Baron could actually see Moriya in the trees.

"Gotcha!" Baron spread his wings and summoned his Suzakalibur. He shot towards Moriya and slashed him with the blazing sword. But Moriya leaped off his perch to avoid the flaming sword before he landed on the forest floor. Baron followed as he dove towards his prey, only to suddenly feel his body stiffen up. His wings relied on his own physical and mental control. With his body suddenly going stiff, he lost altitude and went down. Moriya watched as Baron plummeted to the ground below. He crashed and did not get up.

"Finally, my venom kicked in," Moriya sighed, relieved.

"I...can't move..." Baron groaned.

"You might be wondering when I poisoned you. It was when I had my hands around your throat. A bit of poisonous Ki seeped through your armor and now you're at my mercy," gloated Moriya as he kicked Baron over onto his back. Moriya then repeatedly stomped upon Baron. "Look at you! At my mercy! I can kill you at my leisure if this whole forest wasn't about to burn to the ground!"

Baron endured the stomping as his fists clenched and he gritted his teeth. The flames grew and spread around them, but at the same time, they were starting to flow towards Baron, not that Moriya noticed. Then, all of a sudden, Baron let out a shout and unleashed an eruption of flames from his entire body. Moriya was sent flying by the sudden explosion and slammed against a tree.

"What...?" Moriya's eyes widened as Baron was getting back up, absorbing the flames around them. "How...how is my poison not working!? Is it because of the Celestial Armor!?"

Baron offered no answer as he rushed towards Moriya and slashed him with his Suzakalibur. Moriya lost his right arm as it was cut off and the stump was immediately cauterized by the Suzakalibur.

"MY ARM! YOU CUT OFF MY ARM" Moriya screamed as his right arm fell and was eaten up by the Suzakalibur's flames. With the stump cauterized, he was unable to regenerate it.

"Grow it right back," Baron challenged. "Or can't you do that anymore?"

"You bastard!" Moriya jumped through the trees, avoiding the flames as Baron gave chase. Baron momentarily lost sight of his opponent. When he finally found him, Baron impaled him on the blade. However, Baron realized that what he had stabbed was an empty husk.

Moriya had shed his skin to escape death. So, if this was his skin, where was the real Moriya?

" _JASHIN GOCHI HEN!"_

A large shape burst out of the burning canopy of the trees and flew up to confront Baron. It looked like a giant gecko with spikes going down its spine and sharp claws at the tip of its toes. Stretched between its legs was a membrane of flesh which allowed the Gecko Beast to fly.

The Gecko Beast let out a hiss and soared towards Baron to take him down. Baron's eyes narrowed as he fired a blast of flame at the Gecko Beast. However, his flames didn't seem to have any effect this time as it continued to fly towards him. The Gecko Beast swiped at Baron, knocking him back. It came at him again and he flew to the side to dodge a tail swipe. It became a game of cat and mouse as the flying Gecko Beast chased after the Crimson Enforcer.

The Gecko Beast shot out its tongue and ensnared Baron before dragging him into its mouth. It swallowed Baron in one gulp and licked its lips in satisfaction.

Maybe it should've chewed first.

The Gecko Beast's stomach began to glow red and smoke rose from its nostrils and mouth. It let out a loud hiss as smoke burst right out of its mouth. Its body began to bulge like a balloon as its body temperature rose dramatically.

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SPARKING!]**

Suddenly, the Gecko Beast exploded as a golden Baron, covered in flames that were shaped like a phoenix, spread his wings.

" _Never_ swallow your food whole, you big-mouthed lizard freak," Baron mocked as his flames subsided. He looked down at the burning forest. "We're done here," concluded Baron as he spread his wings and started to absorb the flames into his body. Slowly, the flames were being sucked upwards and into Armored War God Baron, settling into his wings as they glowed. Once the forest was no longer on fire, Baron stopped as his red hot wings slowly cooled down.

"Now to get back to the others," Baron decided as he flew back to the main battlefield. Hopefully, the others managed to take care of the remaining Venom Fists.

* * *

The water spout splashed far from the main battle, depositing both Gridon and Maga. Maga rolled away as Gridon landed on his feet. The Ultimate Hammer brandished his weapons and prepared for his own personal battle.

Gridon was facing against Maga, the Toad-Ken user who had an impregnable defense. Not exactly his most ideal opponent, but everyone had already chosen someone to fight. It was just his luck that he ended up with the idiot of the Five Venom Fists. He remembered how their last confrontation went and did not wish to relive it.

Unlike his friend Kenshin, Hideyoshi wasn't really a fighter. He was always the brains to his brawn. However, ever since gaining the powers of Kamen Rider Gridon, he had forced himself to exercise, becoming tougher. Becoming chosen to hold the power of the Black Turtle had also pushed him further in his physical training. He was given the power for a reason and so he might as well use it to his full advantage.

Charging at Maga, he brought his Xuanwu Spear down to slice, but Maga was, surprisingly, quick enough to come up with a counter.

" _Hiden Ringi! Taiyupao!_ "

A gelatinous liquid surrounded Maga's body. The instant the Xuanwu Spear came down to strike, the gel had congealed into a barrier. Gridon's attack bounced off, much to his distress, as he was sent staggering back. In response, he called forth his elemental power and gathered water into spheres that floated around him. The spheres grew to the size of baseballs and with a single mental command they shot towards Maga.

" _Taiyupao!_ "

Like his previous attack, they were also blocked as they splashed harmlessly against Maga's barrier.

" _Ringi! Deigyokudan!_ "

As the attack came at him, Gridon raised his Shell Shield to block. He was disgusted by the attack. Maga was actually throwing his own warts at him and they exploded like grenades, pushing the Black Turtle Armored War God back. Gritting his teeth, Gridon quickly tried to come up with a strategy to deal with Maga.

* * *

" _Maga's venom is gas-based and can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled. So it would be bad if he manages to expose the soldiers to his venom," explained Hideyoshi. "And Sorisa used scorpions on us."_

" _You can let us handle Sorisa. You just focus on Maga. Get him as far away from the battlefield and deal with him yourself," Iori recommended. "Just like him, you've got a pretty strong defense too."_

" _OK," Hideyoshi nodded. He was feeling doubtful about his chances alone against Maga when the last time they fought ended with him and Kenshin being forced to withdraw. However, he wasn't going to run this time._

* * *

He just had to end up fighting the most disgusting member of the Five Venom Fists, didn't he? Just his luck. Kenshin would probably be laughing at him if he were here right now.

"I will defeat you, and then Sorisa-chan and I can celebrate!" Maga declared.

Oh, right. Maga was in love with the scorpion lady, Sorisa. He was fighting for love. In some ways, Gridon could appreciate that.

When he was called to help Shoku, he didn't hesitate a moment. Touka Village was now Totaku's home and if she needed him, he would rush to her aid, not allowing anything to stand in his way. Now the Five Venom Fists were threatening her home, and he wasn't about to let any of them hurt his precious Yue-hime.

Maga lunged towards Gridon and slashed him with his claws, sending Gridon staggering back. Regaining his footing, Gridon rushed and struck at Maga who blocked the attack with his claws. The Toad-Ken user then struck the Ultimate Hammer with his other set of claws before he bashed Gridon with his stomach. Gridon was sent spinning by the blow and Maga used this moment to fire his _Deigyokudan_ at his back. He then followed up by jumping up and hitting Gridon with a body slam before sending him tumbling with a powerful headbutt.

Gridon was glad that his Xuanwu Arms armor gave him increased defense. Too bad the bulky armor and shield cost him some speed. He slowly picked himself up and tried to think of a plan.

Gridon thought, ' _He has to have a weakness. OK, let's see. He's dumb, he's slow, and he's completely in love with the scorpion lady...Aha!_ '

Hideyoshi rarely took strategic advice from Kenshin, mainly because his friend didn't know how to strategize properly. However, there were things Kenshin was really good at. Trash-talking and being obnoxious were skills that he naturally possessed. Now Hideyoshi was going to use those same skills to acquire victory.

"Hey, Maga! Sorisa-chan is pretty hot, isn't she?" Gridon asked, causing Maga to freeze.

"What did you say?" Maga questioned threateningly.

"You heard me. I mean, she might be a scorpion lady, but I'd definitely tap that ass," Gridon continued.

"Don't talk about my Sorisa-chan like that!" Maga yelled back in anger.

"Why not? By the way, she's a dancer, right? That means she's pretty _flexible_ if you know what I mean."

Honestly, Gridon did not mean anything he said. Sorisa might have a sexy figure, but he had no intention of getting close to those claws and stinger. She was a deadly femme fatale and he liked his girls to be petite, sweet and gentle. Also, he was an arachnophobe, and scorpions fell under the category of things he would rather not get close to. He was actually using a tactic that he learned from his best friend, Kenshin: trash-talking. Basically, he was using his words to piss Maga off and make him lose focus. It seemed to be working.

Maga seethed as his Dorinki flared out from his body.

"SHUT UP!" Maga roared. " _JASHIN GOCHI HEN!_ "

Maga got on all fours as his body morphed and expanded. Gridon stepped back as he witnessed the transformation of the Beastman as he turned into a giant orange Toad Beast. Warts covered the entirety of its back and its goggle-like eyes burned with rage as they glowed with Dorinki.

Gridon sweatdropped. His plan probably worked a bit too well. It seemed that Kenshin had rubbed off on him. He hadn't thought things through.

The Toad Beast began to fire its warts at Gridon and the Black Turtle Armored War God quickly hit his Cutting Blade three times.

 **[COME ON! XUANWU SPARKING!]**

A protective barrier in the shape of a turtle shell formed around him and Maga's exploding warts hit the barrier harmlessly. Still, this did not dissuade the transformed Maga as the Toad Beast jumped high into the air and landed on the barrier with a body slam. He bounced off and came back down again, repeating the process to slowly crack Gridon's defense.

Gridon was being pushed down with each slam, now forced to his knees as he tried to hold up his shield. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut as he strained against the weight that was trying to crush him.

' _Yue-hime..._ ' Gridon thought as the pressure was growing too much for him.

And then an image of Totaku appeared in his mind as she spoke encouragingly, _"Hideyoshi-kun, you can do this. I believe in you."_

"I am...Armored War God Gridon...Totaku's loyal warrior!" declared Gridon as he hit his Cutting Blade two times and raised his Xuanwu Spear up. The water gathered around it and formed a drill.

 **[COME ON! XUANWU AU LAIT!]**

"Gridon Aqua Drill!" Gridon shouted.

Gridon rotated as the water spiraled around him and he thrust upwards straight into Maga's gut. The Toad Beast let out a loud bellow as Gridon went skyward with his opponent before finally bursting through the belly and blasting out the back with blood and gore. The Toad Beast croaked one last time and exploded.

Gridon landed on the ground as bits and pieces of Maga rained all around him. Rising to his full height, he raised his Xuanwu Spear up and shouted victoriously.

"Yatta!"

He then dropped on his back from exhaustion. He deserved a good nap after the fight he just won.

 **To Be Continued in Venomous Raid Part 2**

* * *

 **KRC:** The chapter got too long, so I decided to split it into two parts. So, you'll need to wait for the second part of this epic battle. Also, a new addition I made was **Ryugen Melon Energy Arms!** How did I do it? Shouldn't it be impossible? Nothing is impossible with creative writing and _IMAGINATION_! Well, I saw an image of Ryugen in Melon Energy Arms. Supposedly, it was hidden in the code of the **Kamen Rider:** **Battride War 2** game. It looked so good! I couldn't resist! Yes, I know I'm just adding it because it looks cool and awesome. My story, my rules. So deal with it.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #5A: ADVICE FROM SEMPAI**

"You know, if you wanted to lay in bed with him, I won't tell," Shibai said bluntly to Komei.

"What!?" Komei yelped.

"It's obvious you have feelings for your lord. Why not just slip into his bed and lay next to him?"

"I can't do that! It wouldn't be proper! I would be taking advantage of him!"

"Good Heavens, Komei! It's not like I'm asking you to strip him naked! I'm just saying to take advantage of the situation."

Komei looked uncertain but glanced towards Nagata who was lying unconscious in bed.

"Fine, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try," sighed Komei. She went and pulled back the blanket when she just blinked at what she found. "Ren?"

Ryofu was lying on top of Nagata. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"Guarding Nagata-sama."

"OK."

Komei pulled the blanket back over them as Shibai snickered.

"Oh, the look on your face!" laughed Shibai as Komei went red.


	6. Venomous Raid Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

While their Armored War Gods went to intercept the Venom Fists, the Alliance Army confronted the Rinshi army that arrived. Experience taught them that these footsoldiers were mere cannon fodder that could be easily put down. It was all a matter of knowing where to strike and how hard to strike. Kanu and her fellow generals knew all it took to take down a Rinshi was a powerful enough blow that would turn them to dust or decapitation.

However, that was not the case right now. While the Rinshi weren't as powerful as their 'evolved' Rinrinshi superiors, they weren't as easy to take down as one would think. In spite of their appearance, they could take a lot of punishment. Even after losing many of their numbers from Gridon's minefield tactic and the rain of arrows that befell them at the beginning of the battle, it seemed that the undead soldiers of the RinJyuKen were pushing the Alliance Army back. Their soldiers were falling as the Rinshi kept closing in.

Unlike human soldiers, the Rinshi did not tire, nor did they require food, drink or sleep. As undead beings, they did not suffer from the same weaknesses or limitations as mortal men. The Alliance's soldiers were growing weary as they continued to fight against the horde, a fact that the Rinshi were taking full advantage of. More and more good men fell at the hands of the Rinshi as the Alliance fought back with all their might.

"There's too many of them! We need to fall back!" Kosonsan shouted.

"We can't, Kosonsan-dono! We're completely surrounded and all our exits are blocked!" Kanu responded.

"Don't falter, everyone!" urged Ryuubi bravely as another Rinshi fell at her blade. "Keep fighting and the path of victory will open up to us!"

"Nice to hear you're so optimistic, but we're dropping like flies here," Idunn muttered. She loathed this situation. There was simply no end to the Rinshi horde. They were like zombies. They just kept coming. The Alliance Army was strong, true, but they couldn't keep fighting forever.

"Damn it! We need reinforcements!" Bacho shouted. "Where's our backup!?"

Suddenly, there was a chorus of roars from the distance as hundreds of women converged onto the battlefield. They had tanned skin, with powerful physiques, and scantily clad in animal skins. While most ran on foot, some arrived on horseback, others on buffalos, and there were even elephants being used as mounts to carry them. Leading the charge was Shamoke, Ichiro's wife and leader of the united Hu Tribes.

"STRIKE DOWN THE PALE ONES!" commanded Shamoke.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the barbarian women roared. They attacked the Rinshi savagely, tearing them apart with vicious skill and brute force. The horses stomped upon the Rinshi as the buffalos gored them on their horns. But it was the elephants that were truly terrifying as they trumpeted. Obeying their masters, the elephants smacked aside the Rinshi with their trunks and even picked them up only to slam them to the ground. They stomped on them with their weight and even gored them on their tusks. The barbarians fought like savage animals but were coordinated enough to overpower the Rinshi.

"Where did they come from!?" Gien shouted.

"Who cares? They came to help!" Batai shouted back.

Suddenly, a Rinshi that was about to attack Gien's blind spot was instantly cut down by a barbarian girl. Gien's eyes widened as she recognized her.

"It's you..." Gien uttered.

It was Gotsutotsukotsu, the barbarian girl who had tried to kill Gien in the past. She wanted Gien's head to avenge her sister's death, but they had since formed a truce. Still, it was obvious the barbarian girl still wanted to take Gien's life and had trained hard for the day they would eventually clash.

"Don't thank me. I fully intend to kill you later," Gotsutotsukotsu swore to Gien. "Besides, I'm only doing this for Shamoke-sama."

It was strange how yesterday's enemy could turn into today's ally.

Gien nodded and they continued to battle the RinJyuKen forces. The barbarians proved to be a significant help to them as they replaced the fallen soldiers not only in numbers but in superior fighting strength. These women were strong, stronger than any 'civilized' man as they grew up in harsh conditions. Until the return of their Armored War Gods, they would continue to fight. They would not quit, no matter what.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 5-2: Venomous Raid (Part 2)**

* * *

Zangetsu found himself facing off against Kademu. He was still unnerved by his opponent's appearance. The bug-like legs extending from his limbs were creepy enough, but the bag he wore over his head just upped the creep factor. It made him shudder. Still, he needed to focus. Kademu was part of the group that had been trying to kill them while making the people suffer. He needed to be put down, for the sake of everyone.

"Looks like it's round two, eh, White Devil?" sneered Kademu. He remembered how their last fight ended. He had to withdraw after failing to kill Zangetsu. However, he now had a chance to finish the job. And then he could finally claim his prize and the bragging rights that came along with his victory.

Zangetsu regarded his opponent with a critical gaze. In their last confrontation, he had lost to the Centipede Rinrinshi by underestimating his foe's skill while overestimating his own power. That had been a foolish mistake and one he was ashamed of. As he sensed Kademu's Ki, he felt that it had been enhanced. This implied that he had also been augmented with the Seal of Heaven.

* * *

" _Kademu's greatest advantage is his speed," Masataka said. "I may just have to beat him at his own game."_

" _You do have that acceleration ability," Mitsuki recalled._

" _Usually it's just short bursts of speed, but I've been getting better in maintaining that velocity for long periods of time," Masataka informed._

" _Doesn't Kademu have any weaknesses that you can use?" Iori asked._

" _He's very protective of that bag he wears over his head, but I wouldn't call it a weakness. Taking it off would just upset him."_

" _Must be ashamed of how ugly he is," mocked Karasu. "You should probably call him names to rile him up."_

" _Have you discovered any new abilities that the Seal of Heaven had given to you?" Iori asked. "Like Baron's fire or Gridon's water?"_

" _I may have something I can use," Masataka answered as he cracked his knuckles._

* * *

This was their big rematch, and it was going to end with only one of them leaving this battle alive.

Zangetsu wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

It was time he redeemed himself.

Bowing, Zangetsu charged straight at Kademu and slashed at him with his Baihu Claws. Casually, Kademu blocked them with his forearms, sparks scraping off on contact.

"How predictable," Kademu remarked before he struck right back. _"Ringi! Okumansho!"_

Zangetsu felt like he was just hit a thousand times over in the chest as he was knocked away. He let out a grunt of pain as he felt the blows through his armor.

" _Ringi! Hyakuzanshu!"_

Kademu lunged at Zangetsu and a hundred karate chops struck him in a single second, causing sparks to explode rapidly with each strike. Kademu then performed a kick that sent Zangetsu tumbling backward.

"I am Kademu, Master of the RinJyu Centipede-Ken! Nobody possesses the speed to counter my movements!" boasted Kademu as he spread his arms to the side.

"Speed, huh?" Zangetsu murmured. His visor flashed. "Alright, then! Let's try this again!"

" _Ringi! Okumansho!"_

Zangetsu rushed at Kademu who got into a stance as he performed his attack. Zangetsu roared in response while his arms blurred as he traded blows with Kademu. Now that he knew what he was up against, the White Devil of Son Go decided to use his own speed against his opponent. Sparks flew as their strikes rapidly connected. Kademu became frustrated as he increased his speed and Zangetsu responded in kind. The force of the strikes was wearing down the Baihu Claws, causing them to take more and more damage. However, Zangetsu continued to return Kademu's blows as sparks exploded from their clash.

Finally, Zangetsu managed to find an opening and one of his Baihu Claws shredded the bag Kademu wore over his head. Kademu recoiled as his bag was torn to shreds and he looked up at Zangetsu who gasped at the sight before him.

Kademu's entire head was just a giant centipede that was wrapped around itself to form a head-like shape.

"How dare you!? How dare you!? **HOW DARE YOU!?** " Kademu roared in outrage. While he knew his appearance was unsettling for his opponents, he hated it as well and covered it up with a bag to hide his face. Now that his precious bag was gone, his truly hideous appearance was exposed. This, of course, made him angry as his Dorinki flared up, and he charged at Zangetsu with his fist raised.

" _Ringi! Gaidokuken!"_

Toxic Dorinki surrounded Kademu's fist as he threw his punch at Zangetsu. The White Devil brought up his Baihu Claws and braced himself as Kademu's fist collided with his gauntlets, sending him skidding backwards.

That blow had severely damaged the Baihu Claws. Seeing as they wouldn't be able to handle another blow, Zangetsu decided to discard them. But first, he had one last use for them.

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]**

The Baihu Claws glowed as Zangetsu roared and threw his fists, launching the gauntlets like missiles. Kademu was so startled that he was unable to avoid them as they came flying at him and exploded on impact. The Centipede Rinrinshi was thrown painfully to the ground as smoke rose from his body.

Once his arms were free of the Baihu Claws, Zangetsu drew his Musou Saber. The sword had always been the one thing to never betray him and he worked hard to master it. Fencing was a beautiful sport in the age of peace, but it was also used as a way to resolve an assortment of conflicts in the past. Its aim was to kill the opponent in an honorable fashion.

Raising his sword in front of him, he put his left arm behind him and got into a fencing stance. Kademu just tilted his head as he saw this.

"Well, if this is what you want! _Centipede-Ken! Hiden Ringi!_ " His centipede-like head unraveled, becoming a giant centipede which extended skyward. " _Chojoben_!"

The centipede came down on Zangetsu like a whip and he swiftly deflected it with the blade of his Musou Saber. It came down again and lashed out at him again and again, with even greater speed each time. Sparks flew as Zangetsu repeatedly deflected the giant centipede with his Musou Saber.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

Switching tactics, Zangetsu loaded his Musou Saber's Drive Launch with the Watermelon Lockseed before he pulled on the Pallete Slide and took aim.

 **[1, 10, 100! WATERMELON CHARGE!]**

While the Musou Saber only had a maximum of four shots before it needed to be reloaded, the Watermelon Lockseed allowed Zangetsu to circumvent this limitation. He began to rapidly fire bullets from his Musou Saber, blasting holes into his opponent as he sent the Centipede-Ken Master staggering backwards. As he continued his rapid-fire assault, he felt his Musou Saber overheating and quickly unlocked the Watermelon Lockseed, causing it to pop out of the Drive Launch. The Lockseed was red hot due to overheating, but it had done its job. A golden aura arose from Zangetsu's body as the earth seemed to tremble.

There was a little-known fact about the Sovereigns: each of them controlled an element. The Black Turtle could control water, the Vermillion Phoenix could control fire, the Azure Dragon could control lightning...

...And the White Tiger could control earth.

* * *

 _Zangetsu, in Baihu Arms, demonstrated his power by making several stone pebbles float in his hand._

" _You can move objects with your mind," Iori observed._

" _Close. It's not telekinesis. It seems my ability only affects earth and stone," Zangetsu answered._

" _So you're a geokinetic," Iori corrected._

" _Or an Earthbender! Like from that cartoon with the kid that has an arrow on his head!" Haru chimed in._

" _You watched cartoons?" Mitsuki cocked an eyebrow._

" _Are you really in any position to judge him since you bought a toy belt?" Karasu pointed out._

" _And Kademu doesn't know about this?" Iori asked._

" _Never had a chance to use it when I fought him," Zangetsu answered._

" _Then you have a surprise ready to beat him," Iori grinned maliciously._

* * *

Zangetsu stomped his foot, causing an invisible force to rip chunks of rock straight out of the ground. He then used his Musou Saber to direct their trajectory and shot the rocky chunks towards Kademu. The Centipede-Ken Master was shocked by this but swiftly recovered so he could perform a counterattack.

" _Ringi! Okumansho!"_

Kademu's arms blurred as he shattered the rocks coming at him. Zangetsu continued to fire the rocky projectiles at Kademu who effortlessly shattered them, causing dust to surround the two of them.

This was Zangetsu's plan from the start. As Kademu shattered the rocks, the gathered dust would get in the way of his eyesight, blinding him.

Zangetsu's main strength was not in his fighting abilities. It was in his ability to strategize and plan in the middle of combat. His ability to improvise was what also allowed him to gain victory over his adversaries. It had failed him last time, but he used the time he spent recovering to plan for his payback.

"Where are you!?" Kademu demanded. The thick cloud of dust surrounding him and Zangetsu prevented him from seeing his opponent. When he finally saw Zangetsu come lunging right at him, Kademu once again tried to smash him with his _Chojoben_ technique. He ended up missing as Zangetsu blurred out of sight and then came from his right to slash him across the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Kademu lay on his back, clenching his fists in rage. Dorinki flared from his body as he glared at Zangetsu's back. With a roar, Kademu decided to throw caution to the wind in order to obtain victory.

" _JASHIN GOCHI HEN!"_

Kademu's clothes were torn to shreds as his body grew in size and changed shape, losing his humanoid appearance. The centipede head unraveled and grew along with his entire body as the inhuman transformation took place. Zangetsu took a step back as he witnessed the horrific change.

Kademu had turned into a gigantic centipede. Unlike the giant centipedes that existed in the wild, this monstrous creature was massive, easily measuring the length of 50 meters. Its body was covered in a thick carapace, and its legs looked like arms, complete with hands and fingers. The head stared at Zangetsu, with long whip-like antennae and big sickle-like mandibles.

The Centipede Beast lunged forward with its sickle mandibles and Zangetsu leaped out of the way to avoid being bisected by them. If only he still had his shield. That way he would be able to guard himself. However, his current form lacked any extra protection and those mandibles looked strong enough to cut through his armored body. Once it was done with him, it would not stop until it killed anyone in its path. He needed to finish it off and fast.

Rolling out of the way of another lunge, Zangetsu reached for where he stored his Lockseeds. He took out his Melon Lockseed and unlocked it before he swiftly loaded it into his Musou Saber, locking it in.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

 **[1, 10, 100!]**

Green energy began to travel up the length of the blade as Zangetsu prepared himself. He then gripped his Cutting Blade and gave it a single push.

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]**

There was the sound of a tiger's roar as Zangetsu's visor flashed. The Centipede Beast was coming straight for him but now he was ready for it. Gripping his Musou Saber, he gave it a swing and green energy sliced into the Centipede Beast, causing it to pause. Not giving it a chance to retaliate, Zangetsu continued to unleash an array of energy slashes that sliced through the Centipede Beast. Finally, he turned his back to the frozen Centipede Beast.

"It's over," concluded Zangetsu as he sheathed his sword.

 **[MELON CHARGE!]**

The gigantic Centipede Beast's body fell to pieces before each of the pieces exploded, starting a chain reaction of simultaneous explosions. Zangetsu didn't even look back as he walked away, dusting off his hands soon after.

"Thank you for the lessons, Winter-shishou," whispered Zangetsu.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ryugen, Chulainn, and Knuckle were facing the Scorpion-Ken Mistress, Sorisa. She jeered at her three opponents, unimpressed by their appearance.

"Three of you against little old me? Hardly fair! Rinshi, let's dance! _Ringi! Sasori Buto!_ "

Several Rinshi suddenly appeared as the music came out of nowhere. They soon began to perform an impromptu dance number with Sorisa leading them.

"What is she doing?" Chulainn wondered, confused.

"She's leading a dance, Onii-san," Ryugen stated the obvious.

"You know, they aren't half bad," Knuckle admired, earning odd looks from his comrades.

"Stop admiring her and just attack!" Ryugen ordered.

"Oh right! On it!" Knuckle smashed the ground with his Coco Boxers, sending a rumbling shockwave surging towards Sorisa. The Scorpion-Ken Mistress snapped her fingers in response, commanding her Rinshi dance troupe to immediately line up in front of her, shielding her from the attack. They were sent flying, taking the brunt of the explosive attack for her.

"Crap! I missed!" Knuckle cursed.

"It's alright! You took out her backup dancers!" responded Ryugen.

Sorisa began to dance towards them as the three Armored War gods charged at her. Using her dance moves, she evaded their strikes with ease. She bobbed and weaved, ducked and dodged, and came out without a single scratch.

Ryugen swung his Sonic Arrow at Sorisa, trying to land a blow. However, not only was Sorisa able to avoid his strikes, she was mocking him with her dance moves. Sorisa caught Ryugen's bow-wielding arm, twirled him around, and then landed a kick to his back.

" _Shuben Kyaku!"_

Sorisa jumped and flipped in the air before landing heel kicks upon Knuckle, Chulainn, and Ryugen, knocking them down to the ground. She then performed a sweep kick, sending them all flying.

Sauntering confidently towards Ryugen, she grasped him by the neck and lifted him up.

"Hey, don't you think my dance moves are the best?" she asked tauntingly.

"Let go of my brother!" Chulainn demanded as he aimed for Sorisa's back and fired. Quickly, she spun around and used Ryugen as a meat shield. The Demon Dragon cried out as he was struck in the back by his brother's own attack.

"Iori!" Chulainn gasped as Sorisa released his brother. Suddenly, Sorisa grabbed hold of Chulainn's shoulders and repeatedly kneed him in the groin. She kneed him over and over again before she sent him flying with a kick in the same area. He went tumbling before coming to a stop on his back.

"Onii-san! Are you OK!?" Ryugen shouted.

Chulainn let out a high-pitched whimper of pain, " _...my dick..._ "

Ryugen grimaced and turned to face Sorisa who suddenly kicked him across the face and sent him sliding across the ground. He groaned but recovered along with Chulainn.

"You OK?" Ryugen asked Chulainn.

"As long as she doesn't hit my balls again," Chulainn groaned.

Catching their second wind, the three Armored War Gods regrouped and attacked the elite Scorpion-Ken warrior. Once again, she used her _Sasori Buto_ technique to dodge their every strike. She ducked under slashes and sidestepped every punch and kick. Ryugen broke away and aimed his Sonic Arrow, hoping to hit her. Instead, she performed a front split and ducked under the arrow which hit Chulainn instead.

"Argh!" Chulainn cried.

"Gomen, Onii-san!" Ryugen apologized.

"Leave this to me!" shouted Knuckle as he performed his signature Rock Paper Scissors Combo. "Here's a ROCK!" Knuckle punched, only to miss as Sorisa twirled out of the way. "Huh! How about...PAPER?" Knuckle swung his open palm to bitch slap Sorisa, only to miss as Sorisa flipped backward and landed on her hands with her legs hanging in the air. "Crap! Scis-!"

" _Guren Shuben Kyaku!"_

Sorisa performed an upside down tornado kick as she spread her legs in a front split. She spun like a spinning top and rapidly kicked at the Armored War Gods, knocking them into the air. They let out cries of pain as they were hit and sent flying by the dangerous dancer.

"Your screams of pain are like music to my ears," laughed Sorisa.

"I hate her. I _really_ hate her," Ryugen hissed as he pushed himself back up to his feet.

Chulainn weakly got up on his hands and knees, yelling, "She keeps hitting me in the dick! _Why!?_ Why does she keep hitting me in the _dick!?_ "

"If we want to defeat her, we need to beat her at her own game," Knuckle decided as he approached Sorisa. "Oi, Sosari-onna! I challenge you to a dance-off!"

Ryugen and Chulainn facefaulted.

" _WHAT!?"_

"A dance off, you say?" Sorisa tilted her head, interested in his challenge.

"That's right! You versus me with your Scorpion Dance against my Hip Hop!" Knuckle pounded his fists together.

"Sounds interesting! Very well! Let our dances decide our victory!" Sorisa accepted the challenge.

"Alright, start the beat!" Knuckle snapped his fingers.

Knuckle started to snap his fingers and tap his foot before he performed an impromptu breakdancing routine. Sorisa watched, tapping her foot to the beat as he showed what he could do. When he ended, he pointed to her.

"How's that?" Knuckle taunted.

"Very good, but feast your eyes on this!" Sorisa proudly boasted as she performed her Scorpion Dance. Knuckle crossed his arms, tapping his foot. She ended and pointed back to him.

The two took turns dancing as their audience watched, confused by the sight.

"He can't be serious..." Chulainn spoke in disbelief.

"I'm afraid so," Ryugen answered.

"Iori, you have some very weird friends."

"He's more of an acquaintance actually, Onii-san."

"And where is _that_ music coming from?" Chulainn wondered.

"Just go with it," Ryugen sighed. "It's already been a strange battle for all of us."

* * *

" _Hey, I got an idea," Haru spoke up._

" _If your idea is 'hit them really hard' then save your breath. We already plan on it," replied Mitsuki._

" _Yeah, that pretty much goes without saying, but that's not the idea I had."_

" _What is it then?" Ichiro inquired._

" _Sorisa's the scorpion lady who likes to dance, right?" Haru inquired. "Then I'll be the one to challenge her!"_

" _She'll probably be boosted by the Seal of Heaven and with the others dealing with her comrades, it's going to take the rest of us to deal with her," Iori argued._

" _No, not challenge her to a fight! To a dance off!"_

 _Karasu deadpanned, "You can't be serious."_

" _Come on! Nobody will see it coming and she won't be able to refuse if she wants to defend her title!" Haru insisted._

" _There's no way that idea will work." Iori shook his head. "Just stick with what you're good at and hit them really hard."_

* * *

"I can't believe this idea is working," Ryugen observed as Sorisa and Knuckle went back and forth, performing their dance routines in order to defeat one another

"Ya just got served!" Knuckle concluded his dance number as he struck a pose. "Booyah!"

Sorisa glared at Knuckle. She hated to admit it, but he was a good dancer. Maybe even better than she was. However, that was something she could not allow. Nobody on this Earth could be a better dancer than her!

" _Hishō Shuben Kyaku!"_

She leaped into the air and performed a scissor kick aimed at him. As she did this, Chulainn and Ryugen quickly aimed and fired their Sonic Arrows, shooting her out of the air. She landed roughly on the ground and yelled in anger.

"Alright, playtime's over! _Scorpion-Ken! Hiden Ringi! Jugoku Hen!"_

Sorisa threw a group of scorpions at the three Armored War Gods. Ryugen tried to shake them off but they were swarming him like crazy. His comrades were also being covered by the scorpions and trying to get them off. However, the scorpions continued to swarm them.

"This is going to sting a lot!" laughed Sorisa.

"I don't want to be stung by scorpions!" shouted Knuckle in panic as he tried to shake off the scorpions. He may be in his armor, but these were Rinki-filled scorpions. He didn't like his chances if they stung him all at once.

Sorisa grinned as she prepared to command her children to sting them when all of a sudden she saw a horrific sight. Sorisa witnessed as Maga in his Beast form was being taken into the sky by Gridon before he exploded. Eyes wide with horror, she let out a scream.

"MAGA-KUN!"

Seeing as she was distracted and distraught, Ryugen, Chulainn, and Knuckle quickly activated their Drivers.

 **[COME ON! COCONUT SPARKING!]**

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[MELON ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

The Sparking function could be used to either increase their attack power to the highest possible level or transform their Arms Armor back into their fruit-like configurations. Right now, they decided to go with the latter as their armor disassembled and returned to their fruit-like forms. They began to glow and spin around, producing an energy field that repelled the scorpions that were swarming their bodies. After a moment, they returned back to being armor as Sorisa was frozen in grief.

"She's stunned. Let's bring her down," commanded Ryugen.

"Alright, time for me to bring out this baby!" Knuckle declared as he removed his Rider Indicator and, much to their surprise, replaced it with a Genesis Core. He then took out an Energy Lockseed which resembled the Peach Energy Lockseed, only that it was brown instead of pink.

 _ **[MARRON ENERGY!]**_

As his Coconut Lockseed closed and unlocked itself, his Coconut Arms armor folded back and ascended as a Helheim portal opened, dropping a metal chestnut. He then loaded his Marron Energy Lockseed into the Genesis Core and locked it and his Coconut Lockseed in.

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

He hit the Cutting Blade, slicing open his Coconut Lockseed and Marron Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[MIX!]**_

The Armor Parts above him fused together to form the familiar Jimber Armor Part before it came down and covered his head.

 _ **[COCONUT ARMS! HEAVY DUTY MUSCLEMAN! JIMBER MARRON! HA-HA!]**_

Knuckle was donned in the Jimber Marron Arms Armor, decorated with a pattern of brown chestnuts on the front with his personal emblem on the left side. His Arms Weapons appeared as soon as the armor formed. Unlike previous Jimber Arms, which usually had the Sonic Arrow as a default weapon, Knuckle's Jimber Marron Arms sported a pair of over-sized boxing gloves that were covered in spikes much like the outer shell of a chestnut. They each resembled a half of the shell and looked quite formidable. His helmet also gained a new accessory on the brow. It was a gold sun-shaped crest with spikes jutting out of its circumference.

"Alright! Armored War God Knuckle! Jimber Marron! Sanjou!" Knuckle charged towards Sorisa who still stunned by her husband's death.

"Did he have that before?" Chulainn asked as Ryugen who just shrugged at this surprising development.

Knuckle threw his punch. Before Sorisa could even register an attack coming for her, she was smashed in the face by one of the Marron Bombers. Knuckle followed up with a left hook and then a jab to her stomach before he spun and backhanded her in the face.

"How dare you strike a grieving woman!?" snapped Sorisa furiously. She jumped high into the air and performed her attack. " _Ringi! Shuben Kaikyaku!_ "

She performed several flips, rotating to gain momentum before she went to execute a dropkick upon Knuckle. However, he was ready for her as he hit his Cutting Blade.

 _ **[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]**_

Jumping up to meet with Sorisa, he buried his Marron Bombers straight into her gut. That wasn't the end of it, however. Suddenly, his Marron Bombers _exploded_ , sending their spikes flying. At such a close range, he couldn't miss, and Sorisa was hit with most of them, the sharp spikes piercing her armored skin. She let out a scream as she started to plummet to the ground, followed by Knuckle. His Marron Bombers had lost their outer shells, revealing bulky red gauntlets now covering his forearms. The gauntlets were equipped with hidden pistons like his Coco Boxers.

As they descended, Knuckle kept punching Sorisa in the gut. She grunted from the repetitive blows as the pistons in the gauntlets allowed Knuckle to apply more force into his punches. One final punch broke them apart, sending Sorisa to drop faster towards the ground.

Sorisa crash-landed on her back as Knuckle performed a perfect three-point landing, aka a 'superhero landing'. Sorisa lay in the crater, not quite dead yet, as her eyes burned with rage.

Her beloved Maga was gone. She remembered how, not too long ago, that he used to be a dimwitted dunce who followed her like a lost puppy. It was cute only for a little while before the attention turned annoying. Maybe it was something she said, but he trained himself to become stronger due to her scathing words and approached her with a more manly and confident presence.

Sorisa had a thing for strong men. She was drawn to them and as Maga had become her definition of a strong man, she couldn't help but be drawn to him too. They were soon married and became the strongest Battle Couple of the RinJyuKen Akugata.

But now Maga was gone, turned into dust because of the Armored War Gods. Her grief turned to rage as Dorinki blazed from her body like a fire. She rose to her feet, climbing out of the crater, and set her sights on the three Armored War Gods who had humiliated her. First, she would kill them and then she would kill the one who killed her beloved Maga.

Sorisa flipped back to her feet and snarled. With rage born from grief, she began her brutal assault on the three Armored War Gods.

" _Guren Shuben Kyaku!_ "

Executing her Crimson Lotus Vermillion Whip Kick, Sorisa sent the three Armored War Gods scattering. She aimed her sight on Knuckle and leaped at him to execute her Flying Vermillion Whip Kick.

" _Hisho Shuben Kyaku!_ "

She nailed him in the chest, sending him tumbling to the ground. He recovered to rise onto his knees just in time to see Sorisa about to land another one of her kicks.

" _Shuben Kyaku!_ "

The Vermillion Whip Kick came crashing down upon the Marron Bombers as Knuckle raised them just in time to block the kick. The force of the blow was enough to form a crater under Knuckle. She repeatedly landed several Vermillion Whip Kicks in hopes of breaking his guard.

Ryugen and Chulainn took aim at Sorisa's back before they fired, but she leaped out of the way, causing them to hit Knuckle instead.

"Argh! Not cool, guys! Not cool!" Knuckle cried out in pain.

"Sorry!" Chulainn responded.

" _Hisho Shuben Kyaku!_ "

"Onii-san, watch out!" Ryugen shoved his brother out of the way, only to end up taking the blow instead as he was sent flying.

"Iori!" Chulainn shouted as he watched Ryugen take a tumble along the ground. The attack was enough to knock the GenesisDriver off Iori's waist, causing the armor to vanish.

"I'm going to kill you all, and then I'm going to kill the one who killed my Maga-kun," swore Sorisa. Knuckle and Chulainn rushed towards Sorisa, but she easily countered their attacks with her kicks before she used another Flying Vermillion Whip Kick on the two of them, sending them tumbling. Their armor vanishes moments later.

"Now...feel the sting of my Secret Ringi. This time there'll be no escape," said Sorisa menacingly as Dorinki flared from her body. Suddenly, she felt a hard impact in her back, causing her to pause.

Iori stood behind Sorisa, with his tonfa gripped in his hands and the weapons pressed against her back. Smoke rose from the impact point.

Sorisa turned and grabbed hold of Iori's collar as she glared at him. She quickly disarmed him as his tonfa clattered to the ground.

"What did you hope to accomplish with _that_ move?" Sorisa asked, daring him to answer.

"I wasn't about to let you kill them," Iori spat.

"A noble sentiment, but utterly futile," she retorted as she balled her free hand into a fist. She rarely used her hands to fight, but she was too pissed to care and was making an exception.

"IORI!" Ichiro screamed as he was about to witness his little brother's demise.

"GO TO HELL!" Sorisa screamed as she threw her fist to punch a hole into Iori's head.

Iori's eyes snapped open as he said, "You first." All of a sudden, his body unleashed a blast of dark energy that literally blew Sorisa away.

* * *

 _Kada suddenly recoiled in alarm as he released Iori's hand._

" _What? What's wrong?" Iori asked as Kada paled and stared at him._

" _Why is your Ki tainted?" Kada asked._

" _Tainted?" Iori asked._

" _There's something dark in your Ki. Something I've never felt before, but it was cold, very cold."_

" _I see. So that's what Shion and Onii-san saw," Iori concluded._

" _Excuse me?" Kada asked._

" _Never mind. I only needed you to check something for me. Thanks."_

" _Wait, this isn't something I can ignore. Your Ki is tainted in something dark," Kada warned him. "I need to know what's going on."_

 _Iori sighed and asked, "Promise this won't leave this room?"_

" _I...swore an oath," Kada responded hesitantly. "As a doctor, I can't divulge a patient's secrets without permission."_

" _Some time ago, I was confronted by someone from my past. She was going to kill Shion. I blacked out but I was told that I somehow changed into a more powerful version of myself but I didn't have any control over it," Iori confessed._

" _That must be the dark Ki. Allow me to help you purge it," Kada offered._

" _Purge it? I don't want to purge it. I want to control it," Iori countered._

" _But Ryugen-sama, I told you that this Ki inside of you is dark and cold..."_

" _And it's something we need since we'll be facing enemies that might be charged by the Seal of Heaven," Iori interrupted._

" _I can't with good conscience allow your Ki to remain tainted like this," Kada frowned._

" _Then you will help me learn to control it."_

" _T-teach you?" Kada stammered. "But it's dark Ki!"_

" _Sometimes we have to embrace the darkness instead of shunning it," Iori told Kada seriously._

" _Are you sure about this?" Kada asked._

" _To protect my home, my friend and my family, I will do anything," Iori told him firmly. "Shall we get started then?"_

" _Very well, I will teach you how to control this Ki," Kada reluctantly agreed._

* * *

Sorisa shakily rose to her feet in disbelief. She had not expected any of the Armored War Gods to possess that sort of power. Clearly, she had underestimated them.

Iori strapped on his SengokuDriver and took out his Budou Lockseed. The dark energy gathered around his Lockseed, changing it into the blood red Yomotsuheguri Lockseed.

"Let's do this," Iori said to himself as he unlocked the Yomotsuheguri Lockseed. "Henshin."

 **[YOMOTSUHEGURI!]**

A dark storm cloud formed above Iori as the Yomotsuheguri Armor Part descended from it.

 **[LOCK ON! HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

The Yomotsuheguri Arms Armor Part dropped on Iori's head and dark energy enveloped his body, forming the Ride Wear suit as he let out a cry of pain. Why did it have to hurt? Still, he endured as the Yomotsuheguri Arms Armor Part opened up to reveal his helmet which had the Yomi Kabuto attached. The Yomotsuheguri Arms Armor Part folded onto his body as he breathed heavily, finishing his transformation.

Iori had transformed again into Ryugen-Yomi.

Ichiro and Haru witnessed the transformation in shock and awe. The older Tokugawa brother gulped as he saw this change. He remembered what happened the last time Iori had become this darker, more powerful, version of himself. In fact, he had no doubt that Sadako Ryoma was still having nightmares from her own experience with this darker Ryugen.

"Did he just get an upgrade?" Haru asked with wide eyes. Ichiro offered no answer in response. He just watched.

Sorisa was stunned. She could sense Ryugen-Yomi's Ki. It was dark, just like Rinki. It was completely different from his usual Ki. She didn't like the feeling she was getting from his Ki.

"What in the world are you!?" Sorisa demanded.

Ryugen-Yomi offered no answer as he summoned his Budou Ryuhou in his left hand. He leveled his firearm, took aim and fired, blasting sparks off Sorisa's chest as she backpedaled from the shots impacting her. She grunted in pain before she rushed towards him. Using her Scorpion Dance, she dodged the shots and leapt up to execute her attack.

" _Shuben Kyaku!_ "

Shockingly, her kick was blocked by the Yomiyari as it suddenly appeared in his right hand before Ryugen-Yomi fired at her again, sending her reeling. He then slashed her across the chest with the Yomiyari, sending the shrieking female Rinrinshi stumbling backward. Ryugen-Yomi alternated between slashes of his Yomiyari and shots with his Budou Ryuhou.

"Has he always been this strong?" Haru wondered out loud.

"Only when he's like _this_ ," Ichiro answered with a hint of concern in his voice.

Ryugen-Yomi was now dominating the fight, overpowering Sorisa at every turn. None of her attacks could connect but Ryugen-Yomi kept hitting her and hitting her. She grew frustrated with each of her failed attacks and grew enraged as she was stuck receiving his own strikes. Adding to her frustration and her rage was the grief she felt from losing her beloved Maga.

She no longer had anything to lose.

" _JASHIN GOCHI HEN!"_ Sorisa screamed, activating the last resort Ringi to give her more power. In exchange for the increased power, she would lose her mind. But with Maga gone, what was the point in living anymore?

To the Riders' horror, Sorisa's body began to change as she fell on all fours. Two additional pairs of legs burst out from her sides as her body expanded. Finally, the change was complete as a gigantic red and black scorpion stood in front of them. The insides of its claws were covered in wicked spikes and the tip of its stinger glowed an angry red.

Haru cursed, "Oh, crap!"

"Henshin!" Ichiro shouted.

 _ **[SODA! SUIKA ENERGY ARMS!]**_

"Come on!" Chulainn ordered.

"Ah, right! Henshin!" Haru quickly followed.

 _ **[MIX! JIMBER MARRON! HA-HA!]**_

With a shriek, the Scorpion Beast lashed out with its claws, prompting the three Armored War Gods to scatter. Ryugen-Yomi and Chulainn got some distance to fire at the Scorpion Beast, but their shots simply bounced right off its reinforced exoskeleton. In retaliation, the Scorpion Beast swung its tail at the two brothers, sending them flying.

Knuckle watched in concentration as he clenched his fists. He couldn't mess up on this attack. Gripping his Cutting Blade, he gave it two good pushes down.

 _ **[COCONUT AU LAIT! JIMBER MARRON AU LAIT!]**_

The Marron Bombers' outer shell shattered as the gauntlets ignited, charging up with heat and flames. He let out a battle cry as he charged towards the Scorpion Beast. Jumping high, he landed a punch on its face, knocking it down to the ground with a loud boom. Knuckle continued to bash the Scorpion Beast's face in as the pistons on his gauntlets pumped rapidly with each destructive strike. He then lifted up the Scorpion Beast with his amazing strength and blasted it skyward with an uppercut. It went up, and up, and up before gravity took hold and it started to plummet.

"Onii-san, let's finish this," decided Ryugen-Yomi as he watched the Scorpion Beast drop down. In his hand was his signature Budou Ryuhou.

"You got it," Chulainn concurred with his little brother. He unlocked his Suika Energy Lockseed from his GenesisDriver before he loaded it into his Sonic Arrow.

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

As the Scorpion Beast came within range, the Tokugawa Brothers aimed high and unleashed their own finishers at the same time.

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY!]**_

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Ryugen-Yomi's Dark Dragon Shot and Chulainn's Sonic Volley hit the Scorpion Beast's body simultaneously. It was a direct hit, causing the gigantic scorpion to explode as it let out a shrill death cry.

Chulainn took a moment to savor their victory before he turned his concerned gaze towards his little brother. Ryugen-Yomi stared right back.

"Iori, are you OK?" Chulainn asked. He became nervous as Ryugen-Yomi silently stared at him. His grip tightened around his Sonic Arrow as he feared that his little brother would lose control again. He glanced at the Budou Ryuhou in Ryugen-Yomi's hand, worried that he might turn it against him or others.

"I'm fine, Onii-san," Ryugen-Yomi finally answered, filling Chulainn with relief. "Why do you ask?"

"Just making sure you're OK, that's all."

"I see. You're worried because of the last time I was in this form. Don't worry. I'm in complete control," Ryugen-Yomi reassured him.

"Looks like I wasn't the only one who brought a secret weapon to this party," Knuckle commented as he admired Ryugen-Yomi's form. "Didn't know you were packing that much power in you."

"Speaking of secret weapons, how did you get that anyway?" Ryugen-Yomi asked him, referring to the Marron Energy Lockseed. Knuckle looked down at his Driver and put his hand on the Lockseed.

"Oh, this little thing? It was a gift from Reiha-chan. Let me tell you, it's quite the story."

"Sounds interesting, but you can tell it to me later. We still have more enemies to deal with," Ryugen-Yomi responded as he collected the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed. They had served him well, but he finally had control over his new transformation and power.

"Looks like you managed to finish things here," Zangetsu observed as he arrived with Baron and Gridon. He took a moment to appraise Ryugen-Yomi's new look while sensing the dark Ki surrounding him. "Good job."

"And you look like you've managed to defeat your opponents as well," concluded Ryugen-Yomi. "Good job."

"You make it sound like we didn't stand a chance to win," Zangetsu retorted.

"There's always a chance we could lose. That's how real fights are," Ryugen-Yomi shrugged.

"Still got a few more pests to deal with," Baron interrupted, referring to the remaining Rinshi.

"Come on then, we need to get back to the others!" Gridon urged.

"Then let's not waste any more time," Chulainn agreed.

"No need to tell me twice!" Knuckle agreed. "Let's go!"

"It's that way," Ryugen-Yomi pointed in the opposite direction.

"My mistake! Let's go!"

* * *

 **KRC:** And so begins the battle for Shoku and Touka Village. The Alliance Army has come together and while a minefield and rain of arrows was able to take out a good chunk of Braco's army, I have a feeling that he has more up his sleeve. He already powered himself up and his crew, then he took over the RinJyuKen Akugata. What else does he have up his sleeve? Granted, I could tell you but where would the fun be in spoilers?

 **TFP:** The battle is in full swing. Four of the Five Venom Fists have fallen, but Braco is nowhere to be seen. What is his plan? Also, there is still Nagata to consider. Even if they defeat the Five Venom Fists, what are they going to do to save him from Braco's venom? The battle's only halfway over and the enemy leader is going to make his appearance soon. The AWG better be at the top of their game for this.

* * *

 **Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil**

 **Melon Energy Arms (Ryugen Version):** This time around, Iori uses the Melon Energy Lockseed and the GenesisDriver to transform into a Genesis Rider version of his Rider form. In this form, Ryugen wears the Melon Energy Arms Armor and is armed with the Sonic Arrow. While Ryugen benefits greatly from the additional strength, speed and defense provided from this form, it also benefits from his own high-level marksmanship. He can hit targets without fail in this form and is granted more devastating power to cause major damage on his foes. The Sonic Arrow's blades also give Ryugen an option to fight at close-range. A very powerful and balanced combination.

* * *

Braco stood from his throne as he witnessed all of his comrades fall one by one on the viewing screens. He watched as Moriya was blown up, he witnessed as Maga was skewered, he saw Kademu being sliced to pieces and viewed as Sorisa was blasted to smithereens.

"Everyone has been destroyed?!" he cried out in shock. He couldn't believe his eyes. His comrades that had been infused with power and augmented by the Seal of Heaven had been vanquished.

His shocked expression remained only for a few seconds before he smiled darkly.

* * *

" **HAPPY HALLOWEEN!"**

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #5B: TRICK OR TREAT**

Rinrin, Riri, Shuri, Nenene and Hinari were out Trick-or-Treating.

Rinrin rang the doorbell and the door opened.

"Trick-or-Treat!"

Suddenly, a Tiki Mask Monster jumped out and bellowed, "OOGA BOOGA BOOGA!"

The girls screamed and ran away, leaving their bags of candy behind.

Later, the girls returned.

"Trick-or-Treat!"

"OOGA BOOGA BOO-"

 **POW!**

The Tiki Mask Monster was knocked out by a punch. The mask broke in half, revealing a knocked out Kenshin.

Haru gasped. "It wasn't a Tiki Mask Monster at all! It was Kenshin all along!"

Kenshin groaned as the girl grabbed their loot (candy) and skipped away to continue took a moment to kick Kenshin in the gut before she followed her friends.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #5C: COSTUME PARTY**

Both Kenshin and Hideyoshi had come to the party wearing the same costume: Darth Vader.

"OK, one of us has to change," said Kenshin.

"1, 2, 3, not it!" Hideyoshi quickly responded.

"Fuck!" Kenshin cursed as he ripped off his mask.

"Too slow!"

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #5D: MOVIE NIGHT**

Mitsuki was watching ' **The Ring HD 3D** ' in the living room with Karin, Shuran, Shunran, Keifa, Nagi, Mao, and Sawa. They were sitting on the floor instead of the couch due to space restrictions. They even turned off all the lights to provide a spooky atmosphere.

"The idea of a cursed videotape is ludicrous," Keifa commented.

"It's not supposed to make sense, Keifa. It's a horror movie," Mitsuki argued.

"And movies would suck if they were realistic," remarked Mao.

Keifa replied, "I know, but it's a VHS tape. Besides, why keep the curse going? Why not just stop spreading it around?"

"People are just selfish like that," Mitsuki stated.

"You mean like that movie 'It Follows'?" Keifa asked.

Karin shushed them, "Do you both mind? We're trying to watch the movie."

"Look!" Sawa pointed as Sadako crawled out of the well. She then shambled towards the audience as they leaned back. The figure seemed to crawl out of the TV. In fact, the figure of Sadako was crawling out of _their_ TV.

"Mitsuki, where did you get this movie?" Karin asked as the figure was slowly coming out of the screen as if it was made of water.

"A creepy video store," he answered, eyes wide.

"Oh. RUN!"

Once Sadako was out of the TV, she stood up then pulled her hair back only to see an empty living room. She blinked in confusion then moaned sadly.

" _I just wanted to watch TV with you all...Why do they always run away...?"_

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE 5E: HAUNTED HOUSE**

Nagata, Rinrin, and Aisha stood in front of the Haunted House the school had set up. It really looked like the real thing, frightening with all the visual and sound effects thrown in to make it as authentic as possible.

The two girls shivered in fright as they clung onto his arms.

"Come on, girls!" Nagata encouraged as he took the girls inside.

They saw ghosts, monsters, and ghouls jump out to scare them, causing the girls to scream in fright at the sight of them. The creepy atmosphere just added to the suspense and while Nagata screamed with them, he felt exhilarated.

And then...at the very end...

"Ugh...ugh...aah...aah..."

"What is _that_?" Aisha asked as she clung tightly to Nagata's right arm.

"Ooh~ aah~"

"Nagata-niichan, what is that!?" Rinrin cried as she hid behind him.

And then the three of them heard a loud feminine scream.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Aisha and Rinrin screamed as they grabbed Nagata and ran out of the Haunted House with him.

Shortly afterward, Iori and Shion stepped out from behind a wall, fixing their clothes.

"Did you hear something?" Iori asked his secret lover.

"No. Anyway, let's go and pick up Riri from school. She'd want to have fun here with us," Shion suggested.

"Yes, she would like that. By the way, you almost forgot your bra."

"Oh, thank you."

"And your panties."

"Really? I almost forgot about those."


	7. The Cobra Strikes

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **BTW, you guys are invited to my forum. Maybe we can chat and have discussions over the content of the AWG story.**

* * *

Braco stood from his throne as he witnessed all of his comrades fall one by one on the viewing screens.

Maga. Croaked.

Sorisa. Destroyed.

Moriya. Obliterated.

Kademu. Gone.

They had all fallen.

"Everyone has been destroyed?!" he cried out in shock before he smiled darkly.

He was the only one left.

"...Good."

All according to plan.

With his comrades slain, it was finally time for Braco to enter the fray. But first, he needed to give himself a little power boost.

The Seal of Heaven should take care of that.

He lifted up the Seal of Heaven and called out, "Dorinki of the Venom Fists! To me!"

From the ashes of his fallen comrades, streams of dark energy flowed into the sky and gathered into a murky purple cloud. It darkened the sky as everyone gazed up at the eerie phenomenon. Then, the purple cloud simply vanished as soon as it appeared.

The cloud reappeared, hanging above Braco. He gazed up at the cloud and watched as bolts of energy crackled erratically around it. He held up the Seal of Heaven to the cloud. Suddenly, a bolt of dark lightning came down and struck him directly. Instead of screaming in agony, he laughed with glee as he felt his body absorbing his comrades' energy, making their power his own. Gradually, the color of his scales began to change. His scales turned into a deep shade of purple and silver as his eyes turned pitch black.

Braco had plotted this entire scenario perfectly. He planned for his comrades to perish so he could absorb their Dorinki, taking their power, skills, and techniques for himself. While he could've done them in himself, he didn't have to since the Armored War Gods could do it for him. Besides, he still needed his comrades to soften up his prey, which they did so well. The Armored War Gods should be worn out by now.

Braco's black eyes glowed as an eerie purple shine surrounded his eyes. He spoke with a sinister hiss, "Now, let's begin the eradication of the Armored War Gods."

And in a flash of dark violet light, he was gone.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 6: The Cobra Strikes**

* * *

Initially, the Rinshi had the advantage. While their numbers had been cut down at the beginning of the battle, the Rinshi were undead beings and thus could not fall victim to the afflictions that could affect all living things: exhaustion and loss of stamina. The soldiers and their generals were fighting against relentless odds, and while they may have strength and stamina, both were in limited supply. Already, many good men had fallen but still they fought so that the enemy would not overwhelm them.

Fortunately, reinforcements came just in time from an unexpected source. The female barbarians, led by Ichiro's wife Shamoke, had come to their aid. They brought along their barbaric might and savage beasts to fight alongside the Alliance. Reinvigorated by their presence, the Alliance Army rallied together to fight against their foes.

With the barbarians bolstering their forces, the Alliance Army now had the advantage as the Rinshi's numbers were rapidly falling. It would appear that they would be able to rip victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Of course, in a war, things could still take an unexpected turn. The tide could change at a moment's notice. And that change was marked when one of the elephants suddenly fell. Heavily armored Terracotta Beetle Warriors soon entered the battlefield, each of them armed with deadly weapons. Soldiers screamed as they were torn to pieces and crushed by the might of these golems. Even the barbarian women were powerless as they were beaten to death by their brutal assault.

"Where did those things come from!?" Bacho shouted.

"They were probably placed on standby just in case the Rinshi weren't enough," Chou'un answered with a frown.

Another elephant fell after trying to stomp on the Beetle Warriors. It fell as its neck was snapped before the Beetle Warriors moves on to finish off the rest of the soldiers.

Zangetsu's Moon Brigade actually expected this and quickly summoned up their Lockvehicles. Suika Arms moved to engage the Beetle Warriors as Tulip Hoppers hopped alongside them. However, despite the Suika Arms being deployed, the Beetle Warriors proved to have far superior strength as they knocked the Suika Arms down. The Tulip Hoppers tried to blow them away, but they were destroyed with their pilots killed.

Kanu gritted her teeth as she witnessed the Beetle Warriors decimating their forces. It seemed that Braco had planned out everything. It took the Armored War Gods all their might to take down only two of these armored living statues before, but right now their most powerful warriors were occupied with the Venom Fists. Meanwhile, Ryofu was back at the castle so she could look after Nagata.

Idunn should have a good chance against just one of those Beetle Warriors, but she could just as well be overpowered by them if they decided to gang up on her.

They were _screwed_!

Gakushin, Riten, and Ukin regrouped as they watched the Beetle Warriors taking out their men with ease. Their cries of pain before they expired reached their ears and filled them with dread. Gakushin's eyes narrowed in determination.

"Sawa, Mao," Gakushin prompted. "It's time we used _them_."

Riten's lips spread into a grin which revealed her teeth. "Oh yeah! I've been waiting for you to say _that_!"

Ukin argued, "But Baron-sama said not to reveal them unless it was an emergency."

"This definitely qualifies as one," Gakushin countered. "Besides, Baron-sama put me in charge, remember?"

"Yeah, Sawa! Come on!" Riten encouraged.

Ukin was hesitant but the situation was dire. With these Beetle Warriors decimating their forces, she could not deny that this situation qualified as an emergency. Locking hardened eyes with her longtime friends and fellow lieutenants, the bespectacled swordswoman nodded.

The three reached into the bags they carried with them and took out their blank SengokuDrivers. These were among several that were recovered from the White Clothes and confirmed to still function. Not wasting any time, they strapped on the SengokuDrivers and the devices generated their silver belt straps around their waists, securing them.

They took out and activated the Lockseeds they carried with them. Gakushin unlocked a Kurumi Lockseed, Riten unlocked a Tomato Lockseed and Ukin unlocked a Durian Lockseed. Not wanting his lieutenants to use the same kind of Lockseeds as the Kurokage Troopers, Mitsuki had given them Lockseeds that fit their fighting styles.

 **[KURUMI!]**

 **[DURIAN!]**

 **[TOMATO!]**

"Henshin!" the Crimson Guard Girls called out before they locked in their Lockseeds and hit the Cutting Blades to slice them open.

 **[KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!]**

 **[DURIAN ARMS! MISTER DANGEROUS!]**

 **[TOMATO ARMS! MAIRU, INTO THE BATTLEFIELD!]**

The Armor Parts descended from Helheim and dropped on each corresponding girl. They generated the Kurokage Trooper Ride Wear suits before disassembling to form their armor. In the blink of an eye, their signature Arms Weapons materialized and the three armored girls charged at the Beetle Warriors.

Batai, who caught sight of the shocking transformation, could only comment, "Well, that's new."

Idunn saw it too. She hadn't expected _this_.

Swinging her Duri Noko, Ukin slashed at any Rinshi within her range. The sharp serrated edges sliced through the flesh of the Rinshi, rendering them harmless as they dropped to the ground like puppets that had just had their strings cut. Swinging them around, she effortless cut down the Rinshi. She just felt suddenly reenergized.

Nearby, Gakushin was breaking in her new Kurumi Bombers by breaking several Rinshi. Her fists shot forward and exploded their heads on impact. She then performed a roundhouse kick, sending more Rinshi flying into the air as they exploded. The Kurumi Arms fully complemented her bare-handed fighting style. Each punch she threw held the force of an explosion and her kicks were also enhanced to crush her foes' bodies.

Not too far from her was Riten who stabbed some Rinshi in a row with her Tomaspear. She thrust the blade straight into their chests, driving it into their non-beating undead hearts, and watched as they crumbled to ash right before her eyes. She twirled her Tomaspear around into a reverse grip and stabbed into a Rinshi that lunged at her from behind. The blade cut right through its skull and it collapsed to the ground once she withdrew her weapon. She twirled and swung her Tomaspear, driving back a few Rinshi before she attacked them savagely.

"Regroup!" Gakushin ordered as her comrades gathered with her. The Crimson Guard Girls aimed their sights on a lone Beetle Warrior that had been killing their men. It was armed with a massive war hammer and each swing it made shattered bones and crushed men to paste.

Gakushin gave the order.

"Take it down!"

She leaped into action, followed by her friends. The Beetle Warrior didn't notice them until Gakushin's foot collided with the side of its head, making it stagger. Spotting the armored female warrior, the Beetle Warrior raised its war hammer to crush her. However, it never got the chance as Riten jabbed her Tomaspear into its chest, sending it stumbling backward. Narrowing her eyes, Ukin aimed for its hands and jumped up. She swung and slashed at the hands holding the war hammer, disarming the Beetle Warrior. As it made a grab for her with its right hand, Gakushin's punch shattered the appendage before it could reach her sword-wielding partner.

"Hit it!" Gakushin swung her fist down and hit the Cutting Blade to execute her finisher.

 **[KURUMI SQUASH!]**

"Oh yeah!" Riten obeyed.

 **[TOMATO SQUASH!]**

"OK!" Ukin complied.

 **[DURIAN SQUASH!]**

Their weapons glowed as they charged up with energy. They lunged at the Beetle Warrior and attacked simultaneously. Gakushin threw a punch that hit it in the chest while Ukin slashed it across the waist as Riten stabbed her Tomaspear into its chest. It did not know what hit it as they struck and the terracotta golem was destroyed instantly, shattering to pieces.

"Ah, yeah! We got this!" Riten cheered as she raised her Tomaspear triumphantly.

"Don't celebrate just yet," Gakushin cautioned. "We still have more of them to take care of."

A nearby Beetle Warrior witnessed what they had done and suddenly charged right at them. Its body ignited with purple Rinki before it tackled right into the girls for a brutal takedown.

It was performing a kamikaze attack.

The resulting explosion tossed the girls to the ground, violently canceling out their transformations. Their SengokuDrivers detached from them and landed on the ground. Their Lockseeds remained intact as they popped out, but the SengokuDrivers took damage and would not be able to function now.

"Ow...so much for our debut..." Riten groaned as she picked herself up. How unfortunate that their time as Armored War Goddesses was a short-lived one. Gakushin helped her friends rise back to their feet. They might've lost the armor, but not their fighting spirit. They would not fail Baron now.

"Come on, girls! Baron-sama is counting on us!" urged Gakushin.

"You got it, Nagi!" Ukin complied as she drew her twin swords. She ignored the aches and pains and continued to fight with her friends. However, the battle was going to be hard to win without their armor.

Meanwhile, Ryuubi was growing weary. All this fighting was sapping their strength. Exhaustion clearly showed on her face as she brushed her sweat-soaked bangs out of her eyes. The Beetle Warriors were just too strong for them. Idunn was able to take care of them by herself, but even she was showing signs of fatigue.

 **[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]**

Raising her sword, Karasu conjured fifteen glowing apples that hovered above her. She then sent the apples flying and they exploded as they hit the Beetle Warriors, destroying a few but leaving the rest still standing despite taking heavy damage. Gritting her teeth, Idunn rushed forward and bashed the nearest Beetle Warrior with her shield. The multiple cracks present on its body showed that it was on its last leg and her attack had shattered its body to a million pieces, leaving only its legs standing.

"For...Naga-kun..." Idunn panted as she motivated herself, pushing herself to keep fighting. The Lockvehicles aimed at the Beetle Warriors she had weakened and blew them up. Unfortunately, some of the remaining Beetle Warrior retaliated and destroyed the Lockvehicles, killing their pilots in the process. Gritting her teeth again, Idunn aimed her glare at them and fired off another attack.

 **[COME ON! RINGO AU LAIT!]**

A gigantic red energy apple shot towards the Beetle Warriors like a missile and destroyed them all.

"That's for Naga-kun..." Idunn whispered as she tightened her grip on her sword and shield. There were still plenty more of those Beetle Warriors. Hopefully, she had thinned the herd with that last move.

"We need a miracle right now," prayed Ryuubi as she panted. She had not trained all her life like her friends. She wasn't a warrior like them, but she was still standing in the battle despite everything. They may die today, but none of them would die with regrets.

Miracles were rare and far between, but they could come from somewhere, or someone, you least expected.

"A miracle, you say? Then allow the **Lovely and Beautiful Chosen** to give you one!" a familiar voice rang out. All of a sudden, a pink blur impacted with a Beetle Warrior and shattered it to pieces.

The mysterious pink blur was revealed to be Chosen, with smoke billowing from his fist. A smile was plastered on his face as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Oh, it's been so long since I've had a good workout!" announced Chosen gleefully as he tore away his shirt, revealing his muscular physique for all to see. He tore away his pants next, a cringe-worthy sight as he was completely naked, save for his signature pink thong. Cracking his knuckles, Chosen charged at the Rinshi and the Beetle Warriors with a monstrous yell.

"Now, let's play! **ORA, ORA, ORA, ORA, ORRRAAAAAAAAAA**!"

Normally, the sight of Chosen in his signature pink thong was enough to repulse anybody. It was a fact he took advantage of frequently. One time, he drove away an entire army just by flexing his muscles and winking at them. Another time, they just froze up at the sight of him in his full glory, some even vomiting as they witnessed the abomination. It was truly a frightening sight and nobody wanted to get close to Chosen because of that, fearing the worst.

The Rinshi were no longer human, but deep down even they could feel fear, terror, and disgust. They were downright freaked out when the musclebound monster in a pink thong came charging at them. Even the soulless Beetle Warriors felt the urge to run despite being emotionless automatons.

" **ORA, ORA, ORA, ORA, ORA, ORA, ORAAAAAAAAH!** " Chosen bellowed as his fists sent Rinshi flying. The Beetle Warriors targeted him, but their weapons were unable to pierce his flesh. His muscles were like impregnable armor and the strange man smiled as he performed a ballerina spin, shattering the Beetle Warriors with his kicks alone.

"Who in the world is _that_!?" Idunn demanded. She had seen some messed up things in her life, and had experienced trauma as well, but Chosen was just something she wasn't prepared for. Just who was he and why was he only wearing a thong!? The mere sight of him was causing her to experience uncomfortable shivers. Just looking at him made her want to vomit. He was just so gross! She would need some major brain bleach to purge his image out of her mind.

The generals of the Shoku Army and the lieutenants of the Crimson Guard just gaped at Chosen before they recovered and rejoined the fight. Now with Chosen aiding them, they now stood a chance.

However, Chosen didn't intend to stay for long. He was just here to help buy them some time.

Suddenly, fireballs rained down from the sky and blasted the Rinshi and Beetle Warriors to smithereens. The Rinshi began to scatter as the fireballs rapidly dropped on them, decimating their forces. As the Rinshi scattered, spikes of stone jutted out of the ground. They sprouted like weeds, bursting out without warning and impaling the Rinshi. Finally, a torrent of water blasted into the undead army, washing them away. Miraculously, the torrent avoided the Alliance, only splashing a bit on them as the water washed the Rinshi away.

"Baron-sama!" Ukin cried happily as she spotted her commander in the sky. He looked just majestic like a phoenix as his wingspan was spread to its full width, with an aura of flame radiating off him like the sun.

"CRIMSON GUARD! WE ARE THE SACRED FLAMES OF SOUSOU! BURN ALL THAT STAND IN OUR WAY!" Baron commanded.

The sight of him, and hearing those words, triggered something in the surviving Crimson Guardsmen. It was like a fire had been lit as their morale was boosted instantly while their spirit was revitalized. They roared and attacked the Rinshi furiously.

"He has such a way with words, doesn't he?" Riten grinned at Gakushin who smirked right back.

"Zangetsu-sama!" Shuutai cheered as she saw Zangetsu standing on a pillar of earth. He was truly a sight for sore eyes. She had been so worried for him when he left but realized she had no reason to be. He came back like he promised.

Jumping down from his perch, he shot forward as he accelerated. His blade sliced through the Rinshi in his path. He took a hard right, taking every Rinshi in front of him before he took a left and went straight before skidding to a halt in front of his bodyguard.

Seeing that Shuutai was alive, Zangetsu only had one thing to say to her.

"You did well," he praised and she beamed despite her exhaustion.

"Gridon-dono!" Kosonsan yelled out happily as she saw Gridon surfing towards them on a wave of water. She was just so glad to see that she hadn't lost one of her Armored War Gods. It wouldn't do very well for her weak reputation if she ended up losing the one Sovereign she had working for her.

"Did somebody call for reinforcements?" Knuckle asked with a smile after he sent the Rinshi flying with his Marron Bombers.

"Haru-sama!" Ensho, Bunshu, and Ganryo exclaimed in joy.

"You're alive!" Ensho cried happily.

"Was there any doubt of my survival?" Knuckle asked rhetorically. "Now, ladies. How about we put these zombies down for good?"

"Hell, yeah!" Bunshu cheered.

"I'm with you, Haru-sama!" said Ganryo.

"I'm with you too!" added Ensho. "In spirit!"

Ganryo and Bunshu rolled their eyes. Typical Ensho.

Ryugen-Yomi noticed that their army had gained reinforcements in the form of wild beasts and the female barbarians that had tamed them. He also saw a very familiar female barbarian leading them.

"Hey, Onii-san. Is that your wife?" Ryugen-Yomi pointed at Shamoke.

"Yeah, looks like she got my message," Chulainn smiled. "I figured we may need some extra help, just in case."

Ryugen-Yomi was surprised by this when he felt a pat on his shoulder. He turned to see who had touched him and recoiled at the shocking sight of Chosen.

"Hello, boys!" Chosen waved.

"Aaaahhhh!" Ryugen-Yomi pointed his Yomiyari at him. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry about that. Anyway, I think I'll leave you boys to handle things from here," Chosen smiled as he started to withdraw from the battle.

"Eh, Chosen!? When did you get here? And where are you going?" Ryugen-Yomi asked while cringing at Chosen's appearance.

"I'm needed elsewhere. _Ciao!_ " And with that, the strange man in a pink thong ran off and vanished in a dust cloud.

"That is a very, very strange man,' Chulainn commented as Chosen left.

"We know," Ryugen-Yomi agreed.

"He should really keep his pants on, like all the time," Chulainn commented. "Maybe just glue them on so he doesn't get a chance to rip them off again."

Ryugen-Yomi was thinking Chosen could've stayed to help. On one hand, he had great strength and power which could give them an advantage. On the other hand, he would probably cause all their soldiers to lose their fighting spirit at the sight of him.

Yeah, considering their options, it was probably for the best that Chosen left. At least he helped to significantly thin their enemies' numbers before he had to leave.

Meanwhile, the Alliance Army and their Armored War Gods' allies were finishing off the rest of the Rinshi. The undead RinJyuKen footsoldiers were overwhelmed. Initially, they had the advantage in numbers, but even that wasn't enough against the strength and skill of the Alliance. The arrival of the Armored War Gods pretty much cemented the Alliance's victory.

Gridon's hydrokinesis gave him quite the advantage as he blasted the Rinshi with boiling hot water. Conjuring water whips, he lashed them out at the Rinshi surrounding him. He then conjured tentacles of water that wrapped around the Rinshi and squeezed them to oblivion.

Zangetsu was using the earth as his weapon as he sent rocks flying at the undead footsoldiers, crushing them with large boulders. The ones that managed to get close to his proximity were instantly cut down by his sword. He still maintained his acceleration skill, able to move at high speeds in short bursts. It was what made him one of the deadliest warriors of Son Go.

Baron used his flames to burn the Rinshi to ash as he rained fireballs down upon them. The Rinshi turned to ash instantly as they were hit by the red hot spheres. Using his talons, he swooped down and slashed at them, causing them to drop in pieces. He continued this pattern of fireballs and talon slashes as the bodies piled up and turned to ash.

Ryugen-Yomi fired his Budou Ryuhou and killed many Rinshi with the aid of his wife and brother. Nobody questioned it when Ryugen-Yomi appeared in his Yomotsuheguri Arms, or they didn't have the luxury to question it at this time. Kochu was worried when she saw her husband in that Arms, but chose to focus on the enemy instead. Their shots struck the enemy, taking them down. Kochu's rate of fire was impressive for a human and even Chulainn had to admit that her skills would be unparalleled back in their world. Some Rinshi rushed towards them, ignoring the arrows, but Ryugen-Yomi and Chulainn managed to cut them down to size with their weapons.

Knuckle was sending them flying with punches and the airborne Rinshi exploded to dust in midair. His fists were a deadly weapon and each enemy he hit was too broken to get right back up as they turned to dust. He punched rapidly and relentlessly, hitting his mark, and showing no mercy to these hopping zombified freaks.

Idunn wasn't idle either as she sliced the Rinshi apart with her Sword Bringer. The Armored War Goddess felt someone's back against her own. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that it was Chou'un and the bluenette smiled at her comrade as they battled against the Rinshi that lunged at them. Chou'un's Dragon Tooth Bident pierced their bodies before she slammed them to the ground while Idunn blocked their spears with her shield before using her sword to slice them apart.

"I'm glad we have you on our side," Chou'un said to Idunn.

Idunn only acknowledged the comment with a nod before returning her focus to the battle.

"That was the last of them!" Kanu reported after she brought her Green Dragon Crescent Blade down on a Rinshi and wiped the sweat from her brow. The surviving soldiers all cheered. However, their celebration would soon be interrupted as a cold and foreboding feeling swept over them.

"Wha-wha-what was that?" Chouhi asked as she shivered.

"Look!" Bacho pointed at the purple cloud that was floating in the sky before a dark lightning bolt came crashing down. The bolt struck the earth and caused an explosion that created a thick smoke cloud. The force of the lightning strike nearly knocked everyone off their feet as the ground trembled.

"What was all that about?" Knuckle wondered.

When the smoke cleared, they had their answer.

Braco was standing in the middle of the crater created by his shocking arrival. His head snapped up, causing everyone watching to involuntarily flinch and take a step back in fright, startled by the motion. He smirked confidently as he leered at everyone who stared back at him. He cracked his neck from side to side as a dark aura radiated from his body. Gridon, Baron, and Zangetsu, who could now sense Ki thanks to the Seal of Heaven, felt how chilling and unforgiving that aura was.

"Who wants to try and take me on?" Braco challenged.

When Idunn saw Braco, she felt incredible anger erupt inside of her. The memory of _that day_ was still so vivid in her mind. She had been counting the days, hours, minutes and seconds, all waiting for this moment. This _creature_ had hurt her beloved Naga-kun, and now he was going to pay. Miraculously, her fatigue had ebbed away at around the same time Braco showed up. Her exhaustion faded completely as she was fueled with rage.

Ignoring the shouts of protest around her, Idunn screamed furiously and charged towards Braco.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO NAGA-KUN!"

Idunn screamed as she slashed at Braco, only for him to block her strike as he crossed his Yojato together and caught her sword.

"I see we have a challenger," smirked Braco as he landed a kick into her stomach, sending her tumbling.

"Oda-san!" Ryugen-Yomi went to help her up but she slapped his hand away.

"No! Don't interfere! He's mine!" shouted Idunn as she took out a Lockseed.

It was Nagata's Orange Lockseed.

 **[ORANGE!]**

"Naga-kun, please fight with me," Idunn prayed as she performed an Arms Change.

 **[LOCK ON! COME ON! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]**

Her Ringo Arms vanished as the Orange Armor Part landed on her head. It then disassembled and folded onto her body. Finally, the Daidaimaru appeared in her hand in a splash of orange juice. Charging towards Braco, she slashed at him with the Daidaimaru, prompting him to use his own swords to parry her. He broke through her guard and landed a brutal slash that sent her reeling.

That had to hurt, but she wasn't about to give up just yet.

 **[PINE!]**

The Pine Armor Part dropped out of Helheim and slammed into Braco before Idunn performed another Arms Change.

 **[LOCK ON! COME ON! PINE ARMS! FUNSAI DESTROY!]**

Twirling the Pine Iron, Idunn narrowed her eyes as she sent it soaring towards the target. The heavy spiky head of the flail bashed into Braco repeatedly, causing sparks to erupt with each impact. Agitated, Braco caught the Pine Iron by its chain and broke it before he hurled the Pine Iron back at Idunn. Instead of dodging, she leaped up and kicked the Pine Iron back into Braco, knocking him back.

 **[COME ON! ICHIGO ARMS! SHUSHUTTO SPARK!]**

As Braco was recovering from the violent impact, Idunn began hurling copies of the Ichigo Kunai at Braco. The explosive kunai all detonated on impact as Braco raised his forearms to shield himself from the barrage.

 **[COME ON! CARAMBOLA ARMS! KIRA KIRA SUPERSTAR!]**

Idunn switched forms and tactics again as she hurled the Carambola Stars. While the Ichigo Kunai were limited to only a straight flight path, the Carambola Stars could curve in the air to attack Braco's unprotected areas and blind spots. Braco was sliced by the flying chakrams and gritted his teeth in irritation before he used his Yojato to deflect them and throw them to the ground.

"Is that all you got?" Braco demanded.

"I still have more where that came from!" Idunn snapped.

 **[COME ON! BLUEBERRY ARMS! ALLONS-Y, EN GARDE!]**

Wielding the Berrapier and Blue Gauche, Idunn landed a series of swift strikes upon Braco. Her speed allowed her to bypass his defenses and he let out a hiss of pain from each successful strike. He was sent backpedaling and looked up to see Idunn coming at him to run him through, but he countered as he thrust his Yojato forward, hitting her directly in the chest.

Idunn wasn't about to give up so easily. She was going to avenge Nagata with everything she got. She would not give up until she put this monster down for good.

 **[COME ON! PAPAYA ARMS! CHOP AND HACK! NEVER LOOK BACK!]**

Idunn blocked Braco's swords with the shaft of the Papaya Chopper before she shoved him back with her increased strength. She then raised the Papaya Chopper up and brought it down fast. She landed a clean vertical chop across Braco's chest, sending him reeling. She then performed a horizontal chop followed by two diagonal slashes before she struck him with the flat side of the Papaya Chopper's halberd blade. Both his Yojato flew out of his grip and landed a distance away. Tossing the weapon aside, Idunn changed back to her default Ringo Arms.

 **[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]**

"THIS IS FOR NAGA-KUN!" Idunn yelled as she executed her finisher.

 **[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]**

Idunn jumped into the air as energy gathered in her Sword Bringer. She then descended upon Braco in order to cut him down.

 **CLANG!**

Idunn froze as Braco caught the blade in his right hand before it could make contact with his head. He lifted his head, his eyes meeting Idunn's visor.

"I can normally appreciate such ferocity, but all you've done has only served to annoy me," Braco said as he raised his free hand. " _Daijaho_." He fired a blast of Dorinki directly into Idunn, bringing a scream out of her lungs as she was blasted away from him. Smoke arose from her chestplate as she groaned in pain from his attack, with the Lockseeds she carried scattered on the ground.

"Damn...it..." Idunn hissed and groaned as she gritted her teeth. It was a miracle that her armor had not deactivated from such a brutal attack. It probably had something to do with the nature of her Lockseed.

"So, who's next?" Braco dared.

Gridon, Baron, and Zangetsu could sense Braco's Ki and knew it was no longer just his own. Having fought his teammates, they could feel the power of the other four inside of him. They quickly realized that it was a mix of his comrades' Dorinki, including his own. That meant that he had the power of all Five Venom Fists inside him.

"Well, who's next? Come on then. Show me what you got," Braco challenged. That was all the encouragement they needed as the Armored War Gods charged into action.

Knuckle reached him first and struck Braco with a vicious right hook. He then buried his fist into Braco's gut before he rapidly threw a barrage of punches into Braco's chest. The pistons pumped with each strike, adding more force in order to inflict more damage with each punch thrown.

"Take that! And that! And some of this too! **ATATATATATATATATATA!** " Knuckle yelled as he landed his punches. The combo was finished with an uppercut directly into Braco's chin. Knuckle thought that would be enough. However, Braco wasn't fazed one bit as he looked down on Knuckle.

"Is that it?" Braco deadpanned. "My turn then."

Braco's fist collided with Knuckle's face, cracking his helmet and sending him flying. Braco immediately found himself under assault as Ryugen-Yomi and Chulainn fired at him with their weapons. Zangetsu, Gridon, and Baron soon joined them as they blasted him with their own elemental power. Energy bullets, energy arrows, fire, water, and stone collided with Braco as he just stood there, taking it all.

Dust and smoke enveloped Braco. Suddenly, Braco leaped out of the smoke cloud. Summoning his Yojato, he aimed for the closest target and slashed Ryugen-Yomi across the chest. Chulainn swung at him with his Sonic Arrow, but his swing was deflected before Braco kicked him right between the legs. Chulainn doubled over before Braco kicked him in the spot again, tossing him up into the air, before landing another kick in the same spot to send him soaring across the air.

"I got you! I got you!" Knuckle shouted as he caught Chulainn. "I got you! Are you okay?"

"My...dick...hurts..." whimpered Chulainn, causing Knuckle to grimace.

"Yeah, I saw. Three direct hits. Sucks to be you," Knuckle sympathized.

Braco darted towards Zangetsu who erected a wall in front of him. The Snake-Ken Master smashed through but found his opponent had vanished. He found a hole on the spot and seconds later Zangetsu burst out of the ground behind him. Braco turned and blocked the Musou Saber with his Yojato.

"Hah!" Baron blasted Braco with a stream of flames from his right.

"Hi-yah!" Gridon attacked from the left with boiling hot water.

Braco raised his arms to defend himself from their attacks before he spun in place, releasing a wave of Dorinki that negated their attacks and knocked them back. His Yojato vanished again so he could use some bare-handed techniques.

" _Centipede-Ken! Ringi!_ " Braco glided towards Zangetsu. " _Okumansho!_ " He hit Zangetsu with the **Thousand Billion Palms** , knocking the wind out of the White Devil. He then shifted his attention to Baron and struck him with the same Ringi before repeating the same move on Gridon.

" _Daijaho!_ " Braco sent Gridon reeling with his Rinki energy blast. He then turned as Baron was getting up and blasted him too.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Alerted by the SengokuDriver's callout, Braco looked up to see Ryugen-Yomi coming at him with a flying kick. Braco jumped up and countered.

" _Scorpion-Ken! Ringi! Hisho Shuben Kyaku!_ "

The **Flying Vermillion Whip Kick** connected with Ryugen's Dark Dragon Kick. The latter's knee buckled from the impact and the former's foot connected with his chest, knocking him painfully to the ground.

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

Baron watched as Chulainn came at him with the energized Sonic Arrow.

" _Sasori Buto!_ "

Braco danced out of the way, bobbing and weaving from Chulainn's attack. Chulainn aimed, but couldn't fire in time as Braco smacked the Sonic Arrow aside and then kneed him in the groin again. He pulled his leg back and kicked Chulainn in the same spot again, putting him down to his knees and in pain.

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SPARKING!]**

"RAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!" Baron roared as he took off into the air and dove towards Braco with intent to kill. The flames surrounding him morphed into the shape of a massive phoenix. Casually, Braco summoned up his Dorinki to use a defensive move.

" _Taiyupao_."

A gelatinous fluid coated Braco's body as he raised his hand to catch the attack. The flames were put out and Braco was now holding Baron by his wrist. He squeezed the Crimson Phoenix Enforcer's wrist tight, dragged Baron towards him, and blasted him in the face with a **Serpent Cannon** blast. Baron painfully tumbled through the air before he landed on his back.

Zangetsu caught his second wind and rushed towards Braco. The Snake-Ken Master prepared for him but then found his arms being bound. There were leafy vines wrapped around his limbs and around his waist. Looking over his shoulder, he saw an open Helheim portal.

Idunn was responsible as she took control of the vines.

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]**

The Musou Saber glowed and flashed as Zangetsu performed a furious set of slashes across Braco's chest. Sparks flew with each strike while Braco was unable to defend himself.

Well, that wasn't completely true.

" _Deigyokudan!_ "

The cobra face on Braco's chest spat out and bombarded Zangetsu with Maga's signature **Mudball Bombs**. They exploded and Zangetsu reeled from the impact and the horrible smell. Braco ripped himself free of the vines and turned to face Idunn who lunged at him with her sword. He caught her Sword Bringer by its blade, grabbed her by the throat, and slammed her back to the ground with enough force that it sank beneath her.

"You can join Gaim in the afterlife," Braco threatened as he raised his free hand to give her a taste of his **True Poison**.

"You first," Idunn gritted.

Knuckle landed a roundhouse kick right into Braco's face, knocking him away from Idunn. Chulainn and Ryugen-Yomi fired at him with the latter using his Yomiyari to fire bolts of energy at the Cobra Rinrinshi. Baron flew down and slashed Braco across the face before Zangetsu sped from his left to slash him across the chest with the Musou Saber.

Braco's eyes narrowed as the Armored War Gods attacked him before he unleashed a wave of Dorinki that knocked them back. He didn't forget Chulainn as he once again kicked Ryugen-Yomi's brother in the dick to send him sprawling to the ground again.

Chulainn weakly whimpered as he lay on the ground in a fetal position.

"Wow...I can't believe how many times he kept hitting you in the dick..." Knuckle observed.

Chulainn whimpered in response.

"Is that all? I was expecting more from you so-called guardians of humanity," Braco taunted.

The Armored War Gods surrounded Braco to try one last attempt to finish him off.

"Let him have it!" Ryugen-Yomi ordered.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

 **[COME ON! RINGO AU LAIT!]**

 _ **[COCONUT SPARKING! JIMBER MARRON SPARKING!]**_

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU AU LAIT!]**

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO AU LAIT!]**

 **[COME ON! XUANWU AU LAIT!]**

The Armored War Gods simultaneously unleashed their attacks, hitting Braco hard with their power.

" _Toad-Ken! Hiden Ringi!_ _Taiyūpao_!"

Unfortunately for them, Braco had access to Maga's Secret Ringi, coating himself in the impregnable barrier the Toad-Ken Master was infamous for. Now enhanced by the Seal of Heaven and collective Dorinki of his comrades, he was able to block the Armored War Gods' attacks. In retaliation, he ignited his Yojato and unleashed a circular slash with them, knocking down the Armored War Gods as sparks exploded from their armor.

The Armored War Gods had fought with everything they had, only to be effortless beaten by Braco as he used his fallen comrades' techniques against them. Their skills sure came in handy, and with the added energy boost he got from absorbing their Ki, he easily held his own against the Armored War Gods. They couldn't even hurt him as he countered, blocked, dodged and withstood everything they threw at him before he blew them away with the techniques he had stolen from his fallen comrades.

"That was a valiant effort, but ultimately pointless," mocked Braco.

"He's like a tank. He's taken everything we can throw at him and he's still standing," Gridon groaned in both pain and exhaustion.

"We can't give up just yet!" Zangetsu encouraged. "Everyone's counting on us!"

"That's right! We hit him again! If that doesn't hurt then we just hit him harder! Never surrender!" Knuckle declared.

"And then burn him to ash!" Baron growled.

Braco scoffed. While he could admire their courage and determination, he found their persistence annoying too.

"You should realize that it's pointless to fight me, Armored War Gods. If you surrender, I can make your deaths quick and painless," Braco offered.

"As my friend Kenshin would say: 'Fuck that noise'!" refused Gridon in defiance.

"You don't seem to understand. Three of you possess the power of the Sovereigns, and yet I've managed to overpower you all. I possess the power of the Seal of Heaven, and now I'm unstoppable!" bragged Braco.

"Chojo had its power too, and yet look at where she ended up," Ryugen-Yomi pointed out.

"Then I will not make the same mistake and wipe you all out right now!"

"I don't think so!" Ryugen-Yomi protested loudly as he rose to his feet. He yelled as he charged straight at Braco. The Cobra Rinrinshi casually parried Ryugen-Yomi's Yomiyari with his Yojato before slashing him repeatedly across the chest. A slash sent Ryugen-Yomi tumbling, but he rose on one knee and summoned his Pitaya Ryujin Hou.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Ryugen-Yomi fired a shell encased in dark energy, sending it zooming towards Braco. Even if it didn't kill Braco, it should be at least able to severely hurt him.

Ryugen-Yomi seriously hoped this would kill him.

" _Scorpion-Ken! Ringi! Guren Shuben Kyaku!"_

Encasing his legs in Dorinki, Braco performed Sorisa's signature **Crimson Lotus Vermilion Whip Kick**. The power and speed of the upside-down tornado kick deflected the shell, much to Ryugen-Yomi's shock, causing it to harmlessly explode high in the sky. Flipping back onto his feet, Braco fired his **Serpent Cannon** attack at Ryugen-Yomi, knocking him to the ground.

"Iori!" Chulainn cried helplessly as Ryugen-Yomi lay painfully on the ground.

"Airen!" Kochu screamed in worry.

Ryugen-Yomi groaned in pain but managed to pick himself back up. He forced himself to his feet despite the pain.

"What do you think you're doing?" Braco questioned.

"Do you think we're just going to let you destroy this place? Do you think Nagata would allow that?" Ryugen-Yomi shot back.

"Who's 'Nagata'?" For a moment, Braco wondered who Ryugen-Yomi was talking about before he finally got it. "Oh, you mean _Gaim_ , don't you?"

Ryugen-Yomi continued, "He didn't give up until the end, just like a hero! While he's not with us, we will protect this land in his place, as heroes!"

Braco scoffed, " _Heroes_? What a sad joke. What do you people even hope to accomplish? Even with your power now, you stand no chance of winning while I possess power granted to me by the Seal of Heaven and the Dorinki of my fallen comrades! I am **invincible**!"

Ryugen-Yomi countered angrily, "That's just power that you _stole_! Now I want you to open your eyes, Braco! I want you to see the power that I have found within myself! Feast your eyes, Braco! This is the power of my _burning wrath_!"

Ryugen-Yomi brandished the Yomiyari as a dark aura burst from his body. It erupted like an intense flame, but it was chilling instead of warm.

Braco eyed Ryugen-Yomi curiously. Now this development might prove interesting.

As Ryugen-Yomi ferociously attacked Braco, Baron, Zangetsu and Gridon gazed at him. Instead of awe and curiosity, they were looking at Ryugen-Yomi with caution. They could sense Ki now and the energy coming off of Ryugen-Yomi wasn't anything good. In fact, it was dark. However, it might just be the power they needed to turn the tide.

Braco staggered back with each strike, not even trying to evade or defend himself. Ryugen-Yomi just kept landing blows, unconcerned by his opponent's lack of retaliation. One last forward thrust sent Braco backpedaling several feet.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

The Grapes of Wrath and Sin Trident glowed as the Yomiyari charged up with energy. Braco just stood there, observing Ryugen-Yomi as he prepared to execute his finisher.

"Take this!" Ryugen-Yomi shouted as he thrust his energized Yomiyari at Braco's chest. This should defeat Braco once and for all.

How naive.

Ryugen-Yomi aimed for Braco's heart, but the leader of the Venom Fists deftly caught the weapon in his hand. The Sin Trident's glow diminished as the attack did not properly connect.

"This power, where did you get it from?" Braco asked, interested. When Ryugen-Yomi didn't answer, he concluded, "Oh, I see. You don't know, do you? Well, let me tell you what I do know. It feels familiar. In fact, it feels similar to the energy that we RinJyuKen Akugata members use to make ourselves stronger."

"What are you getting at?" Ryugen-Yomi demanded as he released his grip on the Yomiyari and pulled out his Budou Ryuhou. He squeezed the trigger and fired but Braco deflected the shots with the Yomiyari.

"I'm saying that you're using Rinki right now, just like _us_. Now how did someone like you awaken that sort of power? Could it be that you have darkness inside of you?" Braco pressed on as he tossed the Yomiyari aside.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryugen-Yomi denied.

"Don't lie. All living creatures have darkness in them. Even the ones who claim to be pure of heart. They take the form of negative emotions like fear, anger, jealousy and hatred. Even now, you're using your hatred for me to fuel that power of yours. Very good, but strong emotions like that can be a double-edged sword and..." Braco suddenly blurred out of sight and was instantly within Ryugen-Yomi's personal space.

" _Backfire_ ," Braco finished as he pressed his hand against Ryugen-Yomi's chest. Suddenly, Ryugen-Yomi felt his energy being drained from him. Braco smiled as he siphoned the dark energy from Ryugen-Yomi's body before releasing him. Ryugen-Yomi staggered back and fell on his rear. His armor flickered before changing into his regular green Ryugen Ride Wear with the regular Budou Arms.

" _Delicious..._ " Braco hissed as Ryugen groaned in exhaustion. "I see you're feeling drained. That's the cost of using any power you don't even understand. Now you see the consequences."

"You...bastard..." cursed Ryugen weakly.

"Now then, with nobody able to stop me, it's time we ended this," Braco decided.

"Don't you dare!" Kanu snapped furiously. Clutched in her hand was Nagata's Orange Lockseed. When Idunn had dropped it, she had gone and picked it up. It was the one thing that reminded her of Nagata the most. Chouhi also stood up, clutching the Ichigo Lockseed in her hand. Chou'un picked up the Blueberry Lockseed while Bacho chose to pick up the Pine Lockseed. Ryuubi also picked up the Carambola Lockseed as Kochu picked up the Papaya Lockseed.

"What now?" Braco was getting tired of these interruptions.

"No matter what, we will stand against you. We won't allow you to defeat us!" Kanu declared.

"That's right! We'll fight you no matter what!" Chouhi exclaimed.

"By my honor and my father's honor, we won't let you win!" announced Bacho.

"For my friends, I won't fall," decided Chou'un.

"For my family, I will not surrender," Kochu added.

"Everyone here won't allow you to win. Nagata-sama didn't give up until the end, and neither will we! Though he doesn't stand with us right now, he is still fighting with us!" shouted Ryuubi in defiance as she clenched the Lockseed in her hand tightly.

"How foolish..." Braco shook his head. However, he had to commend them for their courage. Many would fall into despair at this point, but their wills were stronger than expected. It would take more effort to break their resolve.

Perfect.

Braco would enjoy every moment as he slowly broke their spirit before he finally gave them the death they deserved.

The six of them unlocked the Lockseeds. This resulted in six Berserker State Inves jumping out of the Helheim portals to confront Braco. He stared curiously at the summoned Inves, the group consisting of a Seiryuu Inves, a Byakko Inves, a Komori Inves, a Lion Inves, a Yagi Inves and finally a Kamikiri Inves.

"Go!" Kanu and the girls ordered the Inves to attack. They immediately swarmed Braco and savagely lashed out at him with vicious strikes. Braco let the blows land, sparks bursting off on impact. He didn't feel anything but irritation at their attempts to harm him.

The Byakko Inves lunged for him but Braco buried his whole fist into the Inves' chest. The Byakko Inves roared as it exploded. Raising his Yojato, Braco slashed at the rest of the attacking Inves and they were all destroyed within seconds, slashed to death by him.

The girls weren't done yet.

Kanu and Chouhi attacked once the Inves were destroyed, lunging towards Braco. He made no move to avoid or deflect their attacks. He just spread his arms as they came at him. He did, however, blink when the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Viper Spear glowed.

Braco was struck across the chest by the two sworn sisters. He expected to feel nothing.

What he felt instead was a burning pain as he recoiled and yelled, " **ARGH!** "

A look of surprise was etched on his face as their weapons actually _hurt_ him.

Bacho and Chou'un were next as they thrust their spears forward. Braco didn't allow them to hit as he caught their spears. However, pain once more registered as he recoiled and released the weapons, his hands smoking as if he had just been burnt.

"What's going on!?" Braco demanded. His eyes widened as Ryuubi came at him with her Dragon Claw Sword.

It may have seemed like any ornate weapon, but the Dragon Claw Sword was a gift from the dragon god. It was therefore also known as the Ryujinto (Dragon God Sword). It was a mythical relic of great power and Ryuubi was using it on Braco.

The sword left a gash across his face, spilling dark blood to the ground as he yelled, " **IT BURNS!** "

Gridon couldn't believe his eyes, "They're actually hurting him."

Ryuubi smiled but her smile soon fell as Braco drew his arm back to strike her. Suddenly, several arrows pierced Braco and he howled in pain as the arrows exploded.

"That was for my husband," Kochu told him coldly.

* * *

 _The Shoku Warriors laid their weapons on the ground as Kada sat cross-legged facing them. He began to chant and perform hand seals. His body glowed as he pointed his fingers at the weapons which began to glow as well._

" _I've blessed the weapons. They should work against Braco now," Kada assured them. While he was a doctor, he did know a number of techniques which could harm supernatural entities. They had helped him improve his Ki-medicine techniques over the course of his training. Against the RinJyuKen, they were essential._

 _Kanu picked up her weapon as her sisters-in-arms did the same._

" _How do they work?" Chouhi asked._

" _Think about hurting him then hit him as hard as you can," Kada explained briefly._

" _Thank you, Kada-sensei," Ryuubi said gratefully._

* * *

"So, you had your weapons blessed," Braco realized as his injuries slowly began to heal. "Impressive, but that still won't be enough to stop me!"

The Shoku Warriors ignored him and instead attacked as one. They infused their weapons with the desire to destroy Braco and aim to strike him down. However, he had anticipated this and sent them flying with a repelling force. The girls tumbled along the ground as the glow of their weapons faded.

"Ow..." Chouhi groaned.

Braco shouted, "You all want to be heroes, is that right? Then meet your end like those who dared to try and become heroes! Now prepare yourselves! This will be the end of the Age of the Armored War Gods and the beginning of the Age of the RinJyuKen!"

Braco unleashed his Dorinki and spread it out for a wide area effect. Everyone caught within its range became overwhelmed with crippling nausea and fell to their knees. It wasn't just nausea that they felt. As he had augmented himself with his comrades' Dorinki, he also gained the ability to generate a venomous pulse that affected people the way their venom did. All around him, soldiers and warriors fell as they suffered from horrible nausea, agonizing pain, terrible chills, sweltering fever and freezing paralysis.

"Ugh...I don't feel so good..." groaned Knuckle as he fought the urge to vomit. He didn't want to end up with his puke filling up his helmet. That was just gross.

Braco aimed his dreaded gaze towards Ryuubi. He went and picked her up by her neck to look into her eyes. He lifted her off the ground, her feet kicking ineffectively as she tried to struggle out of his grip.

"I'll start with you, Ryuubi Gentoku," Braco hissed as he tightened his grip. Ryuubi gasped as she tried to pry Braco's hand off, only to feel overwhelming despair and fear. Was this truly the end? Were their efforts all for naught? After so many battles and victories, was today the day that it would all come crumbling down? How quickly things tend to change.

* * *

 **KRC:** OK, so we see Braco enter the fray and he completely dominates the entire fight. He even hits Chulainn repeatedly in the dick. He should have learnt how to dodge. You try and count how many times he was hit in the dick. Hopefully, the armor protected him from any permanent damage. He does have a barbarian wife to satisfy. Anyway, points for the girls for fighting back and dealing damage. Seems the desire to avenge Nagata is strong in them. Unfortunately, it didn't amount so much. He's pissed and now he's about to kill Ryuubi. Will there be a miracle?

 **TFP:** And Braco seems to be winning the fight. His absorption of his comrades' Dorinki seems to have pushed him to a nearly invincible level. None of the Armored War Gods seem capable of stopping him and all of their planning seems to have failed. We're at the crisis point and Nagata is down for the count. Is this the end?

* * *

A scout from the battlefield came to report on what was taking place. The news sounded good as the Armored War Gods and the Alliance Army seemed to have beaten most of the enemy forces. He claimed that the Armored War Gods had defeated Braco's comrades and were now confronting him. However, he also reported that they weren't having an easy time against the enhanced Cobra Rinrinshi.

When Komei heard this, she feared the worst as her friends might perish against Braco. She prayed for a miracle.

Meanwhile, Kada was still performing the strange ritual upon Nagata's body. Sweat rolled down from his face as he concentrated. He prayed that this would work or they were all done for.

* * *

"...Helheim...? What am I doing here? How did I get here?" Nagata wondered as he looked around. Indeed, he was in the eerie foggy Forest of Helheim. All around him were alien plants and the Fruits of Helheim hung from vines wrapped around trees. All of a sudden, he let out a cry of pain and held his chest and head.

" _You need to wake up, Nagata..."_

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #6A: WELCOME TO HELL**

"Where are we?" Maga wondered as he looked at his surroundings. It was a dark wasteland with fire. Lots and lots of fire.

"Maga-kun?" Sorisa asked as she found her husband.

"Sorisa-chan! You're here!"

"And you're alive!"

"Guess again, morons," snarked Moriya as he approached with Kademu.

"We're in Hell," Kademu said as he pointed at the demons torturing their fellow defeated Rinrinshi. "We're _definitely_ in Hell."

"So that means we're dead?" Sorisa asked fearfully. " _Again?_ "

"Eyup," Kademu confirmed. "And this time we're not coming back to life."

"Well, as long as Maga-kun is with me, I can deal with it," said Sorisa confidently.

"And as long as Sorisa-chan is with me, I can handle anything," added Maga.

"Ugh, even in Hell you both make me sick," gagged Moriya.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #6B: INTERVIEWS**

"Once more my least favorite part of the job is...recruitment interviews..." Mitsuki groaned.

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Shibai asked.

"A lot of people want to join the Crimson Guard because of Baron-sama's fame. They also think it will enable them to woo girls," said Gakushin.

"What would give them that idea?" Mitsuki questioned.

Gakushin and Shibai cocked an eyebrow at him. Did he seriously just ask _that_?

The door opened and Ukin came in to report, "Baron-sama, everyone, the applicants have all arrived."

"Alright, let's just get this thing over with," Mitsuki began.

They interviewed the first applicant.

Mitsuki started, "So, you want to join the Crimson Guard?"

"YEAH!"

Gakushin questioned, "Any special skills?"

"YEAH!"

Shibai inquired, "Would you please describe them?"

"YEAH!"

Irritated, Mitsuki asked, "Is yelling the only thing you're good at!?"

" **YEAH!"**

"Next!"

* * *

"No, you don't have to demonstrate sword swallowing right now!"

"Next!"

* * *

"We don't need you juggling knives!"

"Next!"

* * *

"No, this is not the place where you ask to join the Yellow Turbans! That's not even scheduled for today!"

"Next!"

* * *

"So, my girlfriend says that she won't marry me unless I show her how manly I am. That's why I want to join the Crimson Guard," applicant #23 claimed.

"Thank you for giving us your life story," Mitsuki remarked as both Gakushin and Shibai looked bored. "So, tell me, what is it that you can contribute as part of the Crimson Guard?"

Applicant #23 stood up and demonstrated his kung fu. However, to an expert fighter like Gakushin and an experienced warrior like Mitsuki, it just looked like a man yelling and flailing his arms and legs in an attempt to punch and kick.

"Alright, you may stop now," said Shibai. "You may go now."

"Does this mean I got the job?" Applicant #23 asked hopefully.

"Don't call us, we'll call you. Next!" Mitsuki said.

"23 applicants and we still haven't gotten any potential recruits," groaned Gakushin.

"Is it usually this bad?" asked Shibai.

"Believe me, it's not easy to find potential members with all these freaks applying, and this can take a long time," said Mitsuki as he emptied his cup of tea. He wished he had wine to get the edge off. "So, how many do we still have left?"

"That was our 23rd applicant so we still have 145 more to go just for today." Gakushin looked at the list as she crossed out their latest applicant.

Mitsuki banged his forehead on the table.

This was going to be a long day.


	8. A Spiritual Journey

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **KRC:** OK, we left you guys with some pretty action-packed chapters. The Venom Fists, with the exception of Braco, have been destroyed. Unfortunately, Braco planned for them to die so that he could absorb their Dorinki. He sent them out to confront the Armored War Gods in order to wear our heroes out until he showed up. What an opportunistic and slimy snake. He also turns out to be a powerful opponent as he was able to single-handedly defeat the Armored War Gods.

The Shoku Warriors tried to fight him too, and while they managed to harm him with their newly blessed weapons, Braco was able to subdue them all with his venomous Dorinki. He could've done it before. In fact, he could've used his crippling venomous Dorinki at any time. He was just playing with them. Oh, and Chulainn/Ichiro got kicked in the dick a lot. Hopefully, there is no permanent damage there. I better not overdo it.

Anyway, in this chapter, we're shifting our focus back to our comatose protagonist of the AWG series. What else will we see in his dreams? Well, that's what we're here for. We're gonna find out.

* * *

Kada was in a deep meditative trance as he sat at Nagata's bedside. Brusa-sennin had told the young doctor that the Blue King's comrades were going to need him. That meant he needed to be awakened immediately.

Since he started treating Nagata, Kada discovered that Braco's True Poison was not a regular type of venom. It was a poisonous Ki that would corrupt and destroy a person's natural Ki, killing them instantly. A person could not live without Ki. It was part of their soul. It was part of their very being. Without Ki, nothing could live. Miraculously, some higher power had intervened and saved Nagata's life, preventing the poison from completely killing him. However, Nagata was left comatose as a result.

According to Iori, Braco's True Poison could also raise the dead, but if such a thing were true then it would be wonderful. Though he had his doubts that something called 'True Poison' would be anything good even if it could bring the dead back to life. Death was a part of the laws of nature and bringing the dead back to life was a violation of those laws. That didn't mean Kada needed to accept that absolutely. One could still fight to stay alive and as a doctor, his duty was to save lives.

Kada used his acupuncture technique to purify Nagata's Ki. For the most part, it seemed to be working. He managed to get rid of the poisonous Ki infecting Nagata. However, he wasn't recovering as fast as Kada would've hoped. He should've awakened, but he didn't.

Now it was time for Kada to use a technique he had been keeping as a last resort. It was only to be used in times of emergency and desperation. This certainly qualified.

"Kada-sensei, what are you doing?" Komei wondered as she witnessed Kada forming a set of hand seals. Much to her amazement, a golden aura began to radiate from his hands, growing brighter and stronger with each hand seal he made. He also chanted, repeatedly.

" _Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen. Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen. Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen."_

He chanted, over and over, repeating the same pattern of hand seals as he did so. Brusa-sennin had taught him this technique. He said it was a technique that could heal a person's mind, body, and soul. It required the aura of the person casting it to initiate the healing process and only to be used for dire emergencies. It required focus and concentration as even one small mistake could lead to dire consequences.

" _Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen. Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen. Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen."_

Bringing his hands up to Nagata, Kada placed them down upon his chest and the aura surrounded the comatose Blue King.

Brusa-sennin had taught Kada this technique. In order to revive someone, Kada would need to use his own Ki to 'jump start' their Ki. Right now, Nagata's Ki was dormant. In his current state, this was stopping him from regaining consciousness. In order to fully restore Nagata, Kada would need to offer his own Ki in the process.

"Wake up, baka-niichan," Chinkyuu whispered as she watched.

Due to past trauma, she didn't have a very good impression of Armored War Gods. From her experience, they were monsters who could kill without mercy. They were ruthless and could not be trusted. Baron seemed to support that fact.

She grew to fear them, to hate them, but over time there were individuals she learned to accept. For example, she accepted Kenshin and Hideyoshi. As long as she didn't see them in armor, she had nothing to fear. She accepted them as people, not as the armor they wore. She got used to their armored forms eventually too.

Then came Nagata Oda and he showed that he was incredibly powerful compared to the other Armored War Gods, and that frightened her. He could cause a lot of destruction with that kind of power and nothing could refute that. He was powerful and that scared her.

Even though he had saved Totaku and the others from Chojo and given them a new home, a part of her couldn't trust Nagata because he was an Armored War God, an absurdly powerful one that just seemed to get stronger. Ryofu seemed fond of him, which made things worse, as Chinkyuu believed he was trying to charm the redhead whom she loved like an older sister.

However, the more time they spent together, just hanging out with Ryofu's pets, Chinkyuu's opinion of him gradually changed. As a strategist, her job was to observe the enemy, analyze them, and come up with a plan to beat them. She had Nagata labeled as a possible enemy but that had changed a long time ago.

He wasn't strong because he was an Armored War God. He was strong because he held onto his ideals and sense of justice. He was strong because he was using his power to help others, to save them even if they didn't always show gratitude.

So, here she was, praying for him to wake up.

Ryofu, who vigilantly guarded Nagata, also prayed for him to wake up as well. While her strength would be an asset on the battlefield if she lent her aid to her comrades, she insisted that she stay and watch Nagata. After all, she had appointed herself as Nagata's personal bodyguard in gratitude for rescuing Totaku. She never left his side for anything until her shift was up. Even when it was time to switch with someone so she could rest, she would insist on keeping vigil.

Chinkyuu had never seen her big sister figure look so sad before. While Ryofu was not usually very expressive, Chinkyuu could tell that seeing Nagata like this depressed her. She missed seeing his smile, she missed talking to him, and she missed spending time with him.

"Wake up, baka-niichan. Ren-dono's waiting for you. She needs you. We need you. _I_ need you. So please... _wake up_."

Suddenly, Nagata's body began to glow before a blinding flash of light completely enveloped the whole room.

Could this be the sign of a miracle?

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 7: A Spiritual Journey**

* * *

It was a beautiful day in town and Nagata was sitting at a local cafe with all his friends, having a good time. They shared stories, laughing at all the funny bits while enjoying delicious cakes with refreshing tea. As Nagata took a sip of tea, he heard a voice in his head.

" _This isn't real."_

Nagata blinked and looked around for the source of the voice.

"What's wrong, Nagata-san?" Aisha asked.

"Did you girls hear that?" Nagata inquired.

"Hear what?" Touka responded, confused.

"I heard..." He paused. "Must be my ears playing tricks on me."

" _Wake up."_

Nagata's eyes widened as he shot out of his seat, alarmed. He heard the voice clearly now like it was being whispered directly into his ear, but there was nobody there.

"Nagata, are you OK?" Sui asked.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," added Sei.

"I..." Nagata started when he heard the voice again, repeating the same phrase.

" _Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up."_

"What is happening to me...?" Nagata covered his ears. Where was that voice coming from? What was going on?

" _ **WAKE UP!"**_

He heard the sound of glass shattering before everything went dark.

Nagata's eyes shot open. Now he could see a canopy hanging above him. Feeling the ground under him, he discovered that he was lying down in a bed of grass. He stood up to take a better look at his surroundings.

He felt disoriented and confused. He panicked. Where was he!? Where had the cafe gone!? Where were the girls!?

"Huh? What? Where am I? Aisha! Touka! Rinrin! Where are you!?"

He blinked as the realization suddenly dawned on him.

"It was...a dream...It was all just a dream...Okaasan and Otousan...it was not real..."

None of it was real.

Tears welled up in his eyes in bitter realization. It hadn't been real. It had all just been a dream, a fantasy forged by his own desires.

After wiping away his tears, he scanned his surroundings to see where he was now. He finally recognized the trees, the strange plants, and the fog that surrounded him.

"...Helheim...? What am I doing here? How did I get here?" Nagata wondered as he looked around. Indeed, he was in the eerie foggy Forest of Helheim. All around him were alien plants while the Fruits of Helheim hung from vines wrapped around trees. Was this just another dream?

All of a sudden, he let out a cry of pain as he held his chest and head.

* * *

" _Daijaho!"_

 _ **BOOM!**_

" _Argh!"_

" _Daijaho!"_

 _ **BOOM!**_

" _Argh!"_

" _Daijaho! Daijaho! Daijaho!"_

 _ **BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**_

" _ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!"_

 _Braco repeatedly blasted Gaim, causing him to yell painfully, each time he was hit. The last Daijaho blast managed to send him flying via a massive explosion._

 _Gaim crashed to the ground and he groaned in pain as his armor flashed and vanished, leaving him in his powerless civilian form. The Shoku Warriors watched in shock at how easily Braco had defeated their lord while he was in his strongest form. At the same time, the Seal of Heaven dropped to the ground, completely inert._

 _Braco went and picked Nagata up by his collar. The young man stared up at Braco, his entire body aching in pain. Braco simply grinned as he looked into the eyes of his defeated opponent._

" _You were a worthy opponent, Gaim. However, in every duel, there is always a loser." Braco pointed one of his fangs at Nagata's chest. "Hiden Ringi. Madoku."_

 _Nagata's eyes widened as the single fang pierced his chest. As soon as it pierced his skin, Nagata let out a bloodcurdling scream as he arched his back. He continued to scream in agony before the pain became too much for him and he went still in Braco's grasp._

* * *

"I'm...I'm dead?"

The grim realization finally dawned upon him. It was bound to happen. After all, he was fighting against monsters. Eventually, his luck would run out and one of his opponents would be the one to finally kill him. But why did the afterlife look like Helheim Forest? He understood that Helheim translated to 'Land of the Dead', but he did not expect that this would be where he would end up.

Suddenly, he was assaulted by another vision.

* * *

 _Gaim took aim as the DJ Gun gathered power and pulled the trigger, firing a powerful burst of energy at Jam._

 _ **[KACHIDOKI CHARGE!]**_

 _As the blast came close towards her, Jam countered it with two strikes of her Cutting Blade._

 _ **[DARKNESS AU LAIT!]**_

 _The DJ Gun's Kachidoki Charge blast smashed into a giant dark energy apple and exploded, with the resulting explosion consuming Jam. Gaim lowered his DJ Gun, putting his Kachidoki Lockseed back into his SengokuDriver. He thought he had won._

 _He was wrong._

 _Suddenly, Jam burst right out of the curtain of smoke and came right at him. Startled, he frantically leveled his DJ Gun at her but she was faster as she sliced his weapon in half._

 _In the blink of an eye, she had the tip of her Musou Saber pressed against his throat. Gaim froze, cold sweat rolling down his face as the seconds passed. Jam kept her position, her sword on his throat. She had complete control of the situation and the advantage._

 _She had won, and as the victor, she could do whatever she wanted to him._

 _Jam mocked, "_ _ **The people call you a savior. Can you really save anyone when you're so weak?**_ _"_

" _ **...when you're so weak."**_

" _ **...you're so weak."**_

" _ **...so weak."**_

" _ **...weak."**_

* * *

Of course. It made sense now. The reason he was here, the reason he was dead was that he'd been too weak. Braco had defeated him because he was weak. Just too weak to do anything.

He sensed a presence and turned around to see a figure standing before him. He stepped back in fright.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The figure was petite and wore a blood red cloak with the hood up to conceal their features. He really wasn't focused on the figure's appearance. His eyes were glued to the big red scythe the figure was holding. It was massive as it dwarfed the figure in height. The huge curved blade was just frightening to look at.

He knew enough mythology to guess who this was. While the figure didn't have a place in Eastern mythology or religion, Nagata knew enough about Western mythology to put a name to the figure.

"Are you Death? Are you **The Grim Reaper**?" Nagata asked. The figure did not respond. He didn't need any confirmation. Just seeing the cloaked and hooded figure told him all he needed to know. "So, I really am dead."

This was all the confirmation he needed. He was in a place where souls waited before they were taken to their final resting place. He could either go to Heaven or Hell. He just hoped it was the former.

"You're not dead."

Nagata blinked and turned around to find Chosen leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. The strange man with pigtails was in his usual pink clothes, much to Nagata's relief.

"Chosen..." Nagata identified as Chosen walked over to him.

"You're not dead, Nagata Oda," Chosen repeated reassuringly before adding, "At least, not yet but you are hanging by a thread at this very moment."

"Is that why he's here?" Nagata asked as he pointed at the 'Grim Reaper'.

" _She's_ just an observer right now," Chosen answered.

"Death is a _girl_?" Nagata's eyes widened in surprise as he turned back to examine the 'Grim Reaper'. He realized that she was a head shorter than he was. For a personification of death, this was not what he was expecting. Perhaps that American comic company **Marvel** was actually on to something.

"Don't you have more important things to worry about?" Chosen asked.

"Like what?" Nagata asked back.

"Well, you need to help your comrades," Chosen answered.

"What do you mean? What's happening?" Nagata demanded.

"While you were busy dreaming, your comrades have been preparing for war. Right now, they're fighting against Braco's forces. The good news is that they've managed to ask for aid from the other Armored War Gods. The bad news is that they're losing," Chosen explained.

Waving his hand, the air shimmered in front of Nagata to create a sort of makeshift screen. On the screen, he could see a great battle taking place. He witnessed as Baron, Zangetsu, Gridon, Chulainn and Knuckle came to their aid. He also witnessed as the Armored War Gods confronted Kademu, Sorisa, Maga and Moriya as they came with an army before defeating them. The scene soon changed to another battle as he saw the Shoku Warriors battle against an army of Rinshi. When the tide turned against them, even with the barbarians coming to aid them, the Armored War Gods came and obliterated the RinJyuKen army.

And then Braco appeared. Nagata saw as the Armored War Gods were no match for him. He watched as they fell to Braco's power.

Nagata's eyes widened in alarm. His friends were in trouble. But what could he do when he was stuck here? What could he do for them when, as Chosen claimed, he was stuck between life and death?

"You need to send me back, Chosen!" Nagata pleaded desperately.

"I can't," Chosen answered.

"Why the hell not!?"

"Because you're not ready yet. You still have some unfinished business."

"What unfinished business!?"

The Red Reaper raised her scythe and slashed the air. This caused a Helheim portal to open right in front of Nagata. Instead of a door, it functioned as a window and Nagata's eyes widened at a familiar and horrific sight.

It was the fire that destroyed Rakuyo.

He could only watch helplessly as the blaze took the lives of the innocent people trapped inside. That memory was one he would rather forget but couldn't. It was the memory of one of his greatest failures. Even when he tried to forget about it, his nightmares would remind him of the day he failed so miserably. They may have won the war against Chojo, but innocent people still suffered and died. People he could've saved if he hadn't pushed her into a corner.

"Why are you showing me this?" Nagata asked the Red Reaper, but she only answered by pointing back at the portal. Nagata looked and his eyes widened as the flames burst out of the portal. He screamed as he shielded himself with his arms and closed his eyes while the flames engulfed him. However, he didn't feel like he was being burnt alive at all. In fact, when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing right in the middle of the burning city of Rakuyo. He saw the bodies lying around him and could only grimace.

He heard pleas for help as people tried to flee from the flames. There were smoke and fire everywhere. People began to collapse as they inhaled too much smoke. He saw a mother cradling her child's dead body. He saw children trying to get their parents to wake up. He heard the cry of babies who were dying around him.

Then he saw the bodies of people he recognized sprawled all around him.

His eyes widened further in shock.

They were his friends.

Kanu was on her back with Chouhi draped lifelessly over her. Nearby lay Ryuubi as she was reaching for her two sworn sisters.

He spotted Bacho who was impaled by her own yari with Chou'un being crushed under the rubble.

Komei, Ryofu, Chinkyuu...

Totaku, Kaku, Gien, Batai...

Iori, Riri, Kochu...

Even Karasu...

They all lay dead around him.

"No...No...No..." Nagata shook his head in denial. This was his biggest regret and worse nightmare all rolled into one. He could not save them and they died because of his weakness.

He couldn't move, he couldn't close his eyes, and he couldn't say a word. He could only watch as the entire tragedy played out in front of him.

This was Hell for Nagata.

He felt absolutely powerless, and that was when he saw a figure approach him. It was being bathed in the light of the flames as it walked towards him from the direction of the Imperial Palace. As it came closer, Nagata recognized the figure's shape.

It was Gaim, clad completely in black armor over a matching Ride Wear suit, with the Musou Saber held against his shoulder. The visor of this Black Gaim, this Kuro-no-Gaim, was yellow as he stared coldly at Nagata.

"What...what's going on...?" Nagata trembled at the sight of Kuro-no-Gaim.

This was like the nightmare he had a long time ago.

Chosen and the Red Reaper stood behind Nagata, watching.

"Looks like she's saying there's something you need to face," Chosen advised.

"So I'm supposed to fight him," Nagata concluded as he narrowed his eyes. "Very well then." He reached for his SengokuDriver, only to find it missing. "Huh, where's my belt?" He checked his pockets to find that his Lockseeds were missing as well. He then looked up and saw Kuro-no-Gaim coming right at him.

"Shit!" Nagata cursed as Kuro-no-Gaim swung at him. He ducked under the swipe and turned on his heels as he panted.

Nagata was far from helpless without his armor, but without his ability to transform into his Rider form, he was forced to rely on his own wits and skill. Fortunately, he still carried his swords in this realm. Unfortunately, he was still no match for Kuro-no-Gaim who was obviously stronger than him as the armor boosted his physical power to superhuman levels.

His twin katanas released sparks as they clashed against Kuro-no-Gaim's Musou Saber. His dark reflection parried the swords and knocked Nagata away before sending him tumbling with a kick.

Nagata groaned as Chosen continued to watch with the Red Reaper. They weren't going to help since this was his challenge to overcome.

Nagata rose to his feet and slashed at Kuro-no-Gaim, but his armored foe just took the blow without flinching. Kuro-no-Gaim retaliated with a swing, breaking his swords in half. Nagata gulped as he looked at his broken swords and saw Kuro-no-Gaim ready to land the killing blow. He aimed for Nagata's neck, but he quickly ducked. He took several steps back as Kuro-no-Gaim gazed at him.

"How am I supposed to beat this thing?" Nagata questioned.

"First, you mustn't give up. Second, you need to realize what he is," Chosen advised him.

"I mustn't give up," Nagata repeated to himself as he dropped his now useless, broken swords. "I need to realize what he is."

"Now think. What is he supposed to be? You can sense it, can't you?"

Nagata tried to think of the answer while trying to keep himself alive. He closed his eyes as Kuro-no-Gaim approached him.

Ever since they started fighting, Kuro-no-Gaim invoked a certain emotion in him. He even stepped out of Rakuyo's fire and it did nothing...

 _...did nothing..._

Nagata gasped as he opened his eyes in realization. Kuro-no-Gaim was right in front of him and had his sword raise over his head. He brought it down on Nagata's head to slice him in half, but the young man quickly raised his hands and clapped them, catching the sword's blade between his palms. Kuro-no-Gaim tried to pry his Musou Saber away but Nagata held a firm grip on it.

"I..." Nagata struggled as he heard the voices of his friends.

" _Don't give up!"_

"I..."

" _Don't give up!"_

"I...!"

" _Don't give up!"_

"I WON'T GIVE UP!"

Suddenly, Nagata emitted a bright light from his body which repelled Kuro-no-Gaim, blasting him away. Not only that but the darkness surrounding him cleared away to reveal clear blue skies and the shining sun. The fire and smoke were also being put out by whatever energy Nagata was releasing.

"There are still people I want to protect! That's why I won't give up! I am... **A KAMEN RIDER!** "

The black Rider was forced to shield his eyes from the radiant light surrounding Nagata grew brighter and brighter. Within the light, Nagata's SengokuDriver materialized on his waist, containing the Orange Lockseed in its open state. His blue Ride Wear suit materialized before his armor finally formed over him.

When the light faded, Nagata was revealed in his Rider form. But something was different about his armor, though. His Orange Arms and Ride Wear suit appeared to be shinier as they sparkled with the armor now trimmed in gold. His mouthplate was also a sparkling golden color in the space between the 'upper jaw' and 'chin'.

This was Gaim's **Sparkling Orange Arms**.

Kuro-no-Gaim recovered as he gripped his Musou Saber. He summoned his Black Daidaimaru and charged at Gaim. Gaim summoned his weapons in a splash of sparkling orange juice-a pair of matching Daidaimaru and quickly parried both of Kuro-no-Gaim's swords as sparks flew on impact. He pushed the offending swords away before he slashed Kuro-no-Gaim repeatedly in the chest. Kuro-no-Gaim staggered back from the slashes before he received a kick to the chest that sent him flying. He slammed into a wall which collapsed on top of him.

Gaim watched as Kuro-no-Gaim rose out of the rubble before his dark doppelganger charged towards him. He waited for his opponent and sidestepped a slash before he smacked Kuro-no-Gaim's right wrist with the flat side of his blade, causing him to release his Musou Saber. Gaim kicked the sword away before he jumped back from the Black Daidaimaru.

 **[SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH!]**

The Black Daidaimaru charged with dark energy as Kuro-no-Gaim dashed towards Gaim, but he stood his ground as he waited. Anticipating the strike, he dropped his swords and ducked before he punched Kuro-no-Gaim in the chest. Kuro-no-Gaim doubled over as Gaim knocked the wind out of him, his Black Daidaimaru dropping from his hand before he dropped to his knees.

Gaim stood victoriously over Kuro-no-Gaim. He picked up the Black Daidaimaru as Kuro-no-Gaim looked up at him before he lowered his head in resignation. He was offering himself to be executed. However, Gaim had a different idea in mind. He knelt down in front of Kuro-no-Gaim as his Sparkling Orange Arms armor vanished along with his Ride Wear suit. He stared kindly into Kuro-no-Gaim's visor before he threw his arms around him in an embrace as he accepted his dark counterpart.

"I understand..." Nagata whispered gently. "You're everything I've tried to keep hidden. You're my fear and regret, aren't you?" In response, Kuro-no-Gaim lost his physical shape and dissolved into black smoke that entered Nagata's body.

" _I am thou...and thou art I..."_

Chosen and the Red Reaper both smiled in approval at the sight of this. Rakuyo suddenly vanished around Nagata and he found himself standing in an endless white void with a white floor and infinite space. He wasn't alone, though. Chosen was still with him.

"So, you've finally embraced what happened," Chosen assumed.

"Yeah, I have. We won but I didn't consider it much of a victory. The cost was too high. That was why I couldn't accept what happened and it haunted me ever since," Nagata confessed.

The empty void didn't remain empty for long. A series of screens, connected like a movie reel, appeared and Nagata found himself looking at them. These were more of his memories.

He was seeing everything he had experienced since coming to the world of the Three Kingdoms and even before then.

Nagata recognized a particular scene. It was a scene that took place many years ago. He was at a picnic with his biological parents. He was only a young child back then.

He watched as his child-self was resting his head in his mother's lap as she told him a story.

* * *

" _And so the Knight and Princess rode towards the sunset, living happily ever after," Ruby finished. "The End."_

" _I love stories like that, Okaasan," smiled little Nagata. "The heroes always get a happy ending."_

 _Ruby smiled as she gently stroked her son's hair. She looked up at her husband who smiled at the scene. He took out his camera and took a picture. He wanted to save it for posterity._

" _Tell me another, Okaasan," Nagata requested._

" _How about the samurai who fought against an evil witch to save his village?" Ruby suggested._

" _OK!"_

* * *

His mother always told him stories when he was a child. His favorite stories were about heroes who fought against evil villains, impossible odds and always saved the day. They conquered every challenge they faced and would be victorious. No evil could stand in their way and they would always live happily ever after.

Of course, the reality was that a happy ending was not always guaranteed. He had to learn that himself, tragically. Even when won, there were times it was a pyrrhic victory that was not worth celebrating.

Another scene was being shown. It was an early memory when he was a child. He remembered that this took place after the accident that took his parents' life. He was adopted by his aunt and uncle whom he called 'Mom' and 'Dad' since that day. Back then, he had yet to regain his memories of his biological parents and still believed that his aunt and uncle were the only set of parents he ever had.

* * *

" _Hey, Nagata. Come on, I've got a story I want to read to you," called Yang._

 _8-year-old Nagata looked up at his mother as he was playing with his action figures._

" _OK, Mom."_

 _Yang sat down on the couch as Nagata climbed on. Picking up her son, she sat him on her lap before opening a novel._

" _This is a book written by your Aunt Ruby," Yang told him. "It's called 'Remnant: The Legend of the Silver-Eyed Huntress'."_

" _Awesome title." Nagata's eyes widened in amazement. Yang smiled._

" _Yeah, it is an awesome title. Alright, let's begin." Yang cleared her throat before she read the first passage,_ _"'Legends. Stories scattered through time. Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easily that we are remnants, byproducts, of a forgotten past.'"_

* * *

The scene changed as he saw himself sitting in Yang's lap as they watched TV together. That was the first taste of Kamen Rider that he got. He sat on her lap, watching the action, but at the same time, he also watched the struggles of the heroes while learning about their resolve. Each Rider had a different thing they were fighting for. They each had a purpose that motivated them and defined them.

Kuuga fought to protect the smiles of the people around him.

Ryuki fought to protect people from the Mirror Monsters and to stop the Rider War.

Faiz fought to protect the dreams of others even when he didn't have his own dream.

Decade fought to find the place where he belonged.

OOO fought to redeem himself while reaching his hand out to help others.

Fourze fought in the name of friendship.

And Wizard fought for the sake of hope.

Those were just some examples of what Riders fought for. They fought for what they believed in, even if they were mocked for it. Even when their resolve was challenged, they always rose back up and became stronger for it.

"Those stories set the foundation for you, didn't they?" Chosen asked.

"Yes, they did," Nagata confirmed.

The memories continued to play out in front of him. They showed all of his adventures, starting with his first meeting with Kanu. He saw all the friends he made and everything he had done up until now. Every battle he had been in was shown in vivid detail. He also saw the memory of when he wrote the final letter to his parents, of the decision he made that changed his life forever.

Nagata blushed brightly as a _very_ vivid memory was shown.

"Don't look at _that_!" Nagata shouted as Chosen was admiring the memory.

"Oh, why not? It just shows how passionate you are towards your lover," Chosen teased.

"It's private! My memories aren't a cheap peep show!" Nagata snapped in irritation with an embarrassed flush on his face.

"Fine, fine." Chosen snapped his fingers and that particular memory stopped playing before it vanished.

Nagata saw a memory that still affected him greatly. It was early on during his travels with Kanu, Chouhi, and Chou'un. Bandits had attacked their campsite and they defended themselves. One of the bandits tried to attack Kanu and Nagata had...

He had stabbed and killed a man.

That was the first time he had killed a man.

"I never meant to kill him," Nagata murmured.

"You did it to protect a friend," Chosen replied. "Nobody can fault you for that."

"I know. Aisha was in danger and I just reacted. It's just...I never ever thought that I would kill a man."

"You must've known that she had killed bandits before," Chosen stated.

"I know, but I just never thought about it," Nagata argued.

They watched what happened next. It was after the bandits were dealt with. Nagata watched as his past-self was kneeling by a river. He was in shock and trying to wash the blood off his hands, desperate to get it off. However, no matter how much he washed his hands, he could still feel the blood on them.

It was strange to see it from a third person perspective.

Nagata watched as Kanu approached his past self with his cooking knife and knelt down next to him. She held the knife in the water, washing off the blood that stained it.

He also remembered the talk they had.

* * *

" _I killed a man," Nagata spoke, trying to process what had happened._

" _You only did it to save me," Kanu replied, hoping her words brought him some measure of comfort._

" _I know, but it still doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Killing a person is different from killing a monster."_

 _There was silence between them for a moment before one of them decided to speak again._

" _Aisha, you've killed bandits before," he stated._

" _Yes," she answered._

" _How do you deal with it?"_

 _Kanu admitted, "The first time shook me to the core. I had blood on my hands. However, I realized something. When I kill, I don't do it for the sake of killing. And I don't do it for pleasure either. When I kill bandits, I do it to protect the innocent and to make sure no more people in the future will be threatened again."_

" _Does it get any easier?" Nagata asked._

" _You just get used to it," Kanu answered._

 _Nagata paused, deep in thought. He was in a whole different era now. Things were done differently here and he just needed to adapt._

 _He needed to adapt to this and move forward._

 _He needed to accept it._

 _It was all he could do in order not to break down._

 _He spoke resolutely, "I'm going to be here for a while. This won't be the last time I'll be forced to kill someone."_

" _I'm sorry it had to happen this way," Kanu apologized as she hugged him._

 _Nagata hugged back. "I know, but it had to happen eventually."_

" _Thank you for saving me," she told him gratefully._

" _I'm...I'm glad I did. Could you stay with me for a bit, like this?"_

" _Of course, Gaim-sama. Whenever you need me, I'll be by your side," she vowed._

* * *

After the first time he had killed, he had trouble sleeping peacefully. It just wasn't easy, knowing that he had taken a life. Eventually, like Kanu said when he confided in her, he got used to it. Since then, Nagata has taken his sword up against monsters and bandits alike. The incident had traumatized him, but he gradually got over it.

He learned something important, something that would forever be part of him. To protect someone, you may need to kill someone else when there was no other option.

Kanu was right. He got used to it, and now his hands were stained with blood. While he wasn't proud of killing, and would still regret it, he didn't regret the reason why he killed bandits. He did it to protect people and he accepted the responsibility. He was a warrior now, and protecting the innocent was a good enough reason to kill.

"You know, I would've been worried if you had enjoyed killing. That would've raised a few warning flags for me," said a new, yet familiar, voice. "I don't know what I would do if you turned into a homicidal psychopath."

The next newcomer to this dream realm was a young woman clad in a black kimono top with a matching mini skirt. Around her waist was a purple obi sash. She also wore bracers on her arms and shin guard. A pair of black tabi socks covered her feet which were in a pair of sandals. A long scabbard hung from her left hip with a sword sheathed in it.

Nagata blinked and his eyes widened in recognition as he realized who this woman was.

"Tenmaru-sensei!?" Nagata exclaimed, instantly recognizing his History teacher.

"How do I look, Nagata-kun?" Ran Tenmaru asked, referring to her outfit. She gave him a twirl, revealing that she wore a pair of white shorts under her skirt as it flipped up. "I rock this outfit, huh? I really do love cosplay. It's the only time I get to be myself." Her long hair, which he usually saw being worn in a bun, was now hanging down in a high ponytail.

"What do you mean 'be yourself'?" Nagata asked.

" _Mori Ranmaru_ ," Ran answered. "Recognize that name?"

"You're...!"

"I remember serving Oyakata-sama until the day he died. I also remember being reborn so many times but still retaining the same memories. It's funny, really. Am I immortal, eternally young, or just lucky to be born over and over with my old memories intact? It just blends together after a few hundred years."

"This...this really is some crazy dream. I'm dreaming about my History teacher..." mumbled Nagata.

"It's not like you haven't dreamt of me, once or twice," Ranmaru teased. She looked upon the tender scene. "Isn't that the most romantic thing you've ever seen?"

"The seeds of love were planted in that moment," Chosen agreed. He addressed Nagata with a teasing tone and a mirthful smile, "You wanted to kiss her then, didn't you?"

Nagata blushed in response as he sputtered out a denial, "N-no I didn't!"

"Such a shame. It was the perfect moment. The two of you were alone, you were vulnerable, you were bonding, and you had a nice setting. It was the perfect moment for a kiss," Ranmaru pointed out. "A bit of a wasted opportunity if you ask me."

"He did get to kiss her, eventually," Chosen told her.

"Yeah, but it would've been nicer if the kiss happened _here_ ," Ranmaru pointed.

Nagata didn't voice out an agreement, but he had to admit that Chosen and Ranmaru made some good points. It did seem like the perfect setup for a first kiss, but he was still recovering from his first kill and really wasn't in the mood for romance.

"Are you both seriously discussing first kiss settings?" Nagata asked in disbelief.

"Sorry, it's just that it is rare for me to see the descendant of Oyakata-sama score with such a lovely young lady when you've failed several times in the past," said Ranmaru.

"You were _spying_ on me?" Nagata asked, aghast.

" _Observing_ ," Ranmaru corrected. "Anyway, your first kill always defines what kind of person you are. The act of killing is actually pretty easy. It's the aftermath and dealing with the fact that's hard. Seeing how you reacted after that, I can safely say you still have a good heart. Just like Oyakata-sama."

"You mean **Oda Nobunaga** ," scowled Nagata.

"I know you're not Oyakata-sama," Ranmaru said, smiling sadly. "He's gone while I remain, watching over his descendants. But I do see some of his spirit in you. Oyakata-sama was indeed a kind man, but he could be just as ruthless as well. He had to be. He could not afford to look weak. His enemies would attack if they thought he was weak. Of course, only those closest to him would know about his kind heart. He was also willing to make himself into the enemy of all the lords. His dream was to unite Japan and stop the Warring States Era. The land would've been united, either against him or under his rule. Either way, his dream would've been a reality."

"So his dream came first before his own life?" Nagata asked.

"He was always a stubborn man. Nobody could sway him from his dream. He was also very unique. He appreciated the knowledge that came from the west when many lords just saw foreign things as dangerous or something that could destroy their way of life. However, Oyakata-sama embraced foreign ideas. Firearms became the norm in Oyakata-sama's army, and while the guns could only fire once before reloading, he was able to utilize them successfully. He was a visionary, a man who instilled fear because his ideas were seen as insane. But to me, he was my most beloved master."

"And what about me?" Nagata asked.

Ranmaru answered, "You're my student, but I see a fire burning inside you. A passion for justice. The same passion that Oyakata-sama put in his ambition. Your dreams for peace are not weak, Nagata-kun. They can come true. It all depends on what you can do to make them come true."

"I won't treat my comrades as pawns or my soldiers as disposable cannon fodder," Nagata told her seriously. "I won't treat the people closest to me as disposable tools once their usefulness has ended."

"Then don't. Treat them as you've always treated them. They already follow you without a moment's hesitation. Only a great person can inspire that kind of loyalty, but I think you have the potential to be something greater than you are now."

"And all it took was for me to be dimensionally displaced," Nagata quipped.

"Not many people get the chance like this. The fact that you survived for so long shows that you're strong because you managed to adapt. Yet you adapted without compromising your kindness," Ranmaru said.

"I've killed people. How can you call that being 'kind'?" Nagata shot back.

"The people you killed would've harmed innocent people. How is allowing _that_ to happen be considered 'kind'?" Ranmaru rebutted. "Sometimes being kind to the innocent means being equally cruel to the guilty. You can't have one without the other. Even the desire to save people, to protect people, is just another way of wishing for people to be in danger so you could be there to save them. Nothing is ever black and white. Good and evil are not absolutes, and while Oyakata-sama may have been seen as an evil _Maou_ , his desire to unite the land was pure and sincere. A true leader doesn't always do what's best for himself. He does what he thinks is best for his people."

"So I have to pick and choose who I can save? I can't just save everyone?" Nagata asked.

"Do you think you can?" Ranmaru challenged.

"I know I can try."

"It won't be easy."

"So what? Doesn't mean I have to stop trying."

A sudden flash of golden light forced Nagata to shield his eyes. When he opened them to see the source, he found himself looking at a familiar sacred artifact. He easily recognized the golden dragon statue floating in front of him. Chojo had used it to gain power.

"Is that the Seal of Heaven?" Nagata asked, pointing at the statue.

"Yes and no," Chosen answered cryptically.

Nagata deadpanned, annoyed, "Don't you ever get tired of being so cryptic?"

Ignoring the deadpan comment, Chosen elaborated, "Before Braco struck you down, the Seal of Heaven was in the process of granting you its power. That is what saved your life. What you are seeing right now is the power that currently sleeps within you, the power you would've awakened if he had not interrupted."

"So, what am I supposed to do? Just reach out and touch it?" Nagata asked as he curiously reached out for the Seal of Heaven. Suddenly, it released a blinding light and Nagata was shoved backward by an invisible force, his feet sliding across the white floor.

"It would appear that the Seal of Heaven wishes to test your resolve," Chosen observed.

"Of course it does," Nagata muttered sarcastically. When had anything so profound been that easy? He approached the Seal of Heaven again and glared at the artifact as it seemed to stare right back at him with its eyes.

"Perhaps the Seal of Heaven sensed potential inside of you. Gridon, Baron, and Zangetsu were chosen by the Seal of Heaven and were able to awaken great power because they managed to achieve a great resolution of heart," Chosen explained.

"A great resolution of heart, huh?" Nagata considered Chosen's words. Did he truly deserve this power?

"I sense doubt within you," Chosen observed.

Nagata responded, "This is an honor but I don't deserve it. The Genesis Riders attacked the innocent and left Chinkyuu scarred for life. Where was I when that happened? When Rakuyo was burnt to the ground, I was unable to save anyone."

The mysterious Chosen asked, "Did you not avenge those people?"

"I did, but I wish they hadn't perished in the first place," Nagata answered.

All this time, Nagata had to endure the guilt of failing to save Rakuyo and its people. That guilt had burdened him since but he carried it with him all the same. Could he really find the strength to prevent such a tragedy from taking place again? His friends believed he could. They had faith in him, despite what happened back in Rakuyo.

"Sometimes tragedy happens. It's up to us to decide what happens next," Chosen replied.

"Do you really think I can do it?" Nagata asked as he considered Chosen's words.

The Red Reaper made her presence known as she appeared.

This time she spoke as she gave him advice, " _You can't change the past_. _What you can do is learn from it and move forward. You will always lose something important in your life, and make mistakes, but life goes on and so must you. Acknowledge your weaknesses and learn to overcome them. That way you can become stronger_."

" _Acknowledge_ my weaknesses," Nagata repeated. " _Overcome_ them, and become _stronger_."

Why did this Red Reaper seem so familiar to him? Ever since he met her, there seemed to be some kind of link between them. He felt it then and he felt it now. Just who was she?

"Who are you?" he asked.

She responded with a cute childish giggle.

" _That is a secret~_ " she said as she pressed her index finger against her lips.

Nagata had a feeling she could get along with Chou'un.

" _But try to guess anyway_ ," she challenged playfully.

Okay, now he _knew_ there was something familiar about her.

Chosen asked, "Why did you want to become a hero in the first place?"

Nagata answered without missing a beat, "I was inspired by them and the stories told by my mother. I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to be able to protect and save people so they wouldn't suffer losses like I have. I can't just stand by and do nothing when someone needs help. But I've only done the opposite. I've led good men to their deaths because they chose to follow me. I've let thousands die because I was too late to save them. How many have died under my command alone?"

It was sincere, with no trace of deception, straight from the heart of an honest soul.

How many graves had he filled? How much blood was on his hands? How many families mourned when their sons, brothers, and fathers did not return from war?

Chosen replied, "Those men followed you because they were inspired by you. Just like you, they fought in the name of peace so that their families could live in a world without conflict. Like you, they were willing to risk their lives. You're making it sound like their deaths didn't mean something. You're making it out as if their deaths were in vain. As for the ones who died in Rakuyo, it was a tragedy. It shouldn't have happened, but it did, and you truly understood the path you've chosen. You've already confronted with the manifestation of your guilt and shame. What have you learned from it?"

What had he learned? After being forced to confront the manifestation of his greatest regret, he learned to accept it. Perhaps he could forgive himself now. Perhaps he could move on.

"I've learned something important. I realize why I held onto _that_ memory. It wasn't just out of guilt. I needed to come to terms with it. This memory is a reminder of not just one of my biggest failures, but also to remind me of what is important. It's to remind me of my duty! I'm a Kamen Rider and my mission is to save people!" Nagata declared.

Steeling his resolve, Nagata looked back at the Seal of Heaven and reached out for it again. The Seal of Heaven unleashed a powerful aura that attempted to push Nagata back. However, he resisted it as he forced his body to move forward. He reached out to the Seal of Heaven, despite the power pushing him back. As his fingertips touched the Seal of Heaven, he was flung back by the aura again.

Nagata tried again and stood up, bracing himself this time. He dug his heels into the ground as he dragged himself closer and closer towards his goal.

"I can't give up! I _won't_ give up!" shouted Nagata as he reached out to the Seal of Heaven, fighting against the aura that tried to push him back. He recalled the time he was separated from Kanu and the others and how much he wanted to return to them. He remembered how incomplete his life felt without them.

"I came back for them and gave up my chance to return to my world for them!" He had sacrificed any chance of going home to modern Tokyo and had no regrets, only a strong resolve.

" **I will return to them again!** "

As the Seal of Heaven threatened to push him back again, he felt a firm hand on his right shoulder, supporting him. Surprised by the contact, he turned his head to see Kanu smiling at him with a determined gaze.

"Aisha...?"

" _Don't give up, Nagata-sama."_

Nagata felt someone touching his hand and looked down to see Chouhi beaming at him brightly.

" _Onii-chan! You can do it!"_

"Rinrin...?"

He felt another hand on his left shoulder and turned his head to see Ryuubi smiling confidently at him.

" _We believe in you, Nagata-sama."_

"Touka...?"

He soon felt more hands on his arms and he saw the friends he had made since his time here. Chou'un smiled teasingly at him, Bacho and Batai grinned confidently at him, Kochu and Iori both gave him nods of approval. Even Ryofu was giving him a small smile. More and more people emerged and gave him words of encouragements.

" _You can do it, Nagata-sama!"_

" _Don't surrender!"_

" _We're with you!"_

He had come so far since his days as a normal high schooler. He wasn't just a boy anymore and was more than just a man. He was a king. He was a protector.

He was a Kamen Rider. An Armored War God!

"This is for them...they're the reason why...THEY'RE THE REASON WHY I WON'T GIVE UP!" Nagata roared as he finally grasped the golden Seal of Heaven and held onto it tightly. The Seal of Heaven's aura gave him one last push, more intense than before, but he hung onto the statue with all his might as he grasped it with his other hand too. He was not alone, as everyone who was with him in spirit was helping him hold on.

" **I AM ARMORED WAR GOD GAIM! WE ARE THE SHOKU WARRIORS! WE ARE THE ONES WHO PROTECT THE INNOCENT! AND THIS IS OUR STAGE NOW!"**

Finally, the Seal of Heaven's aura calmed down before it vanished.

"You did it, Nagata-kun," smiled Ranmaru.

Suddenly, Nagata had a vision of a supreme warrior. He was clad in a majestic blue coat and wielding a magnificent blade. Surrounding him was the brilliant aura of a Heavenly Dragon.

"What...what was that?" Nagata whispered after he saw the vision.

Chosen spoke wisely, "It is true that these atrocities should not have happened. You feel regret over the lives you fail to save. It's perfectly natural to feel this way. However, you do not allow that to stop you. Instead of allowing them to become a burden to your heart, you use these memories to become stronger so they may never happen again. In the face of adversity, in the face of failure, you did not give up. Rather, these failures push you to become stronger and move forward.

"These are indeed dark times, but those who rise against cruelty and oppression possess a light of radiance in their soul. Your radiance shines the brightest, brighter than anyone I have ever seen. It is this radiance that draws others to you so you are never alone. Perhaps this is what the Seal of Heaven sensed within you. Congratulation, Nagata Oda. You've proven your worth. You've earned this gift."

"Gift?" Nagata asked. He looked at the hand which he had used to grab the Seal of Heaven. He could feel that there was something in it.

He opened up his hand to reveal a small device that resembled a Lockseed. The device's gold body was shaped like a dragon's head with a colored circle decorating it and attached with a U-shaped handle. In the center of the larger circle was a smaller orange circle and marked with the ID code **S.L.S.-QINGLONG** on it. The outer circle was cut into six sections with each section colored red, blue, green, yellow, indigo and violet. These were the seven colors of the rainbow. The device actually fit in the palm of his hand and had a switch on it.

" _Congratulations."_

Nagata looked up when he heard that and saw four familiar women standing in front of him. The Red Reaper was standing beside his adoptive mother Yang, and standing with them were Blake Kurogami and Weiss Yukihime. They were close friends of his parents and his godmothers. When the Red Reaper lowered her hood, revealing her face, Nagata's eyes widened as he recognized her.

It was his biological mother, Ruby Oda.

"Okaasan..." he whispered.

" _I knew you could do it, Naga-chan_ ," Ruby smiled.

" _Always move forward, kiddo_!" Yang added proudly.

" _Don't ever sacrifice your compassion for power_ ," advised Blake.

" _I knew you had potential. Just remember, Nagata. Maintain proper poise and good manners_ ," finished Weiss.

Yang, Weiss, and Blake vanished. Even though he would never truly see them again, they were part of who he was. It was because of these women that he had become the man he was today.

Nagata allowed himself to smile. "Thank you...everyone. Thanks, Okaasan...Mom..."

" _ **Can you really save anyone when you're so weak?"**_

He heard Jam's question again, but this time he had an answer. He turned to face his friends and smiled at them as they faded from view. They were, after all, just figments of his memories. Still, they remained as a proof of their bond.

"When I'm alone, I'm not always strong enough. But with them, and because of them, I am strong. Maybe I can't save everyone, but I can sure as hell try to save them whenever I can," Nagata answered.

He realized that he had been shouldering a great burden all on his own when there was no need to. The burden he carried was not his alone. It was a burden he needed to share because his greatest strength was not his ability to shoulder everything. It was in his ability to accept, share and move forward. He was strong not because of his own power but because he had his loved ones to encourage him every step of the way. If it weren't for them, he would've broken down a long time ago.

His true power was not in the Lockseeds or the SengokuDriver. It was in the bonds he forged, creating something greater than an army.

He had made a family in this world.

Ruby stood in front of Nagata. She smiled and kissed her son on both his cheeks. She had to stand on her toes, however, since he had grown much taller than her.

"Nagata, I'm so proud of you," she smiled.

"Thank you, Okaasan," Nagata replied, tears dripping from his eyes. He was going to miss her. "Looks like this is goodbye."

"I guess it is," Ruby nodded, smiling sadly. "I love you, Nagata."

"I love you too, Okaasan."

"Excuse me, but I think I should also be allowed to bid our son goodbye," Nagato Oda said as he appeared as well.

"...Otousan," Nagata whispered as he saw his father. He was wearing a black kimono top with a matching hakama. His dark hair was slightly spiked and he had blue eyes. A katana hung from his hip.

"You're late," Ruby frowned at her husband as she crossed her arms.

"Sorry, sorry, I was busy dealing with something. But it looks like you were able to handle things here without me." Nagato rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He approached his son and smiled. "Look at you. You're all grown up already."

Nagata suddenly wrapped his arms around his father and cried.

"Otousan...Otousan..." Nagato smiled and patted his son's back.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you growing up," Nagato apologized. "Really wish we could catch up."

"It's OK, Otousan," Nagata said as he dried his tears. "I'm fine. I had Aunt Yang and Uncle Monta, I mean, Mom and Dad, to look after me."

"I have to admit, I was a bit worried when I found out Yang would be your adoptive mother. I'm just glad you didn't pick up some of her bad habits, or her _puns_ ," Nagato joked, earning an elbow to his side from his wife. "Ow, Ruby. I was just joking."

"Dad made sure of that, don't worry. So did Aunt Weiss and Aunt Blake," Nagata said gratefully. He looked at the sword hanging from his father's hip and remarked, "Well, that explains why I have such an affinity with swords."

"Yeah, and from what I've seen you've only gotten better," Nagato smiled proudly. "You might even be better than me."

"I hate to cut this family reunion short, but it's time to go," Chosen prompted Nagata. He was right. His friends needed him now.

"Okaasan, Otousan, there's so much I want to tell you," Nagata said.

"Just speak to us using your shrine. We may not be able to answer, but we're always listening," Ruby said.

"And I'm very proud of you, son. So very proud," Nagato added.

"Wait, before you leave, a last bit of motherly advice: open your heart to those girls. They really do love you," Ruby said to her son.

"Thank you," Nagata said gratefully before he vanished completely. " _Goodbye..._ " This was the path he had chosen.

There was no turning back now.

* * *

 **KRC:** Truth be told, this chapter was part of another chapter, but something told me it was best to make it its own chapter so I don't break the focus or your attention span if you need to focus on several events happening in the same chapter at the same time. Having two plots in the same chapter doesn't really work in literature.

So this entire chapter was just a test for Nagata's resolve. We get to see how Nagata gains the power of the Sovereigns, but it was in his head the whole time as he's stuck between life and death. Then he has to be tested, first to see his resolve as he faces his regrets and learns to accept them. It was to see his progress, how he deals with his failures, and whether or not he has the strength to move on or is held back by the terrible memories. He also gains some encouragement by his mother, as in his birth mother, who died. This could just be a manifestation created by his memories...or something more? What do you think?

Also, there is a lesson we can learn from this chapter. We're not perfect and we make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes can cost others and we end up carrying the weight of the regret with us. We allow these regrets to drag us down and it turns into depression. But, we have the power to make things right and the first step is to accept these regrets and change them into something else. Change regrets into strength so that these mistakes are not repeated ever again. Basically, you need to accept your mistakes so you can move forward.

 **TFP:** So Nagata had a trip to limbo and got a good look at himself. He's been given his final test and it seems he's passed. Still, with all the images and weird faces, how much of it was actually true and how much of it was simply a dream? Either way, he had to face some truths about himself that he had been avoiding up until now. Hopefully, with his resolve now restored, he can get back in action and bring down Braco once and for all!

* * *

 **Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil**

 **Sparkling Orange Arms:** This is the form Nagata assumed while fighting Kuro-no-Gaim. In terms of appearance, it resembles his Orange Arms but with a sparkling orange color scheme. His Ride Wear suit has also received minor redeco as the part of the mouthplate, wristbands, the trim around his boots and his knee pads also turn sparkling orange. Sparkling Orange Arms also possesses a pair of Daidaimaru. Not much else is known about this form as Nagata uses it in his mindscape and thus it is unlikely that this form will appear in reality. (Note: This form is based on Fresh Orange Arms).

 **(Black) Orange Arms:** This is the form assumed by Kuro-no-Gaim. It is a black version of Gaim's default Orange Arms. It can be assumed that the stats are identical to the normal Orange Arms. It also has a black version of the Daidaimaru as its main Arms Weapon. The black color of this Arms represents the darkness surrounding Nagata's heart because of his regret as he failed to save the citizens of Rakuyo as it was burned.

* * *

After a moment of silence, Chosen turned to address the Red Reaper, aka Ruby Oda.

"Didn't you want to keep your identity a secret before?" Chosen asked Ruby.

She answered, "He never got the chance to say goodbye to us. Besides, he'll believe this was just a dream anyway."

"And that last bit of advice?" Chosen asked.

"I have been watching him all this time. I can't believe he's gotten so many girls interested in him," Ruby admitted in amazement and with a hint of pride.

"Tell me about it. I never thought our little boy would be great with women," added Nagato proudly. "He's turned into quite the ladies' man."

"He has Oyakata-sama's blood running through his veins. I'm sure he can handle the responsibility," said Ranmaru. "He'll have many heirs if he plays his cards right."

Chosen smiled and then turned towards a new figure who had just appeared. This figure had his back turned to Chosen, and was wearing a royal purple cape with a high gold collar. His hair was black and styled into a topknot.

"So, when will you make _your_ presence known to him?" Chosen asked the mysterious figure curiously.

" _Once he learns to accept his legacy_ ," the figure answered before he vanished a moment later.

"See you again someday, Oyakata-sama..." Ranmaru said quietly before she vanished.

Chosen smiled before he vanished as well.

"Ruby, it's time to go," said Nagato.

"Nagato, do you think Naga-chan will know what happened to us?" Ruby asked with a hint of worry. "Do you think he'll find out how we died?"

"He'll find out," Nagato said with grim confidence. "Let's just hope he can handle it."

And then they were gone as well.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #7: AFTERLIFE MOVIE NIGHT**

Chosen was sitting in a movie theater with a tub of popcorn.

"Sorry we're late," Ruby apologized as she took the seat to his right.

"The line at the concession stand was long," added Ranmaru apologetically as she took the seat to his left.

"Plus Ruby wanted all the strawberry candy," Nagato stated as he sat next to his wife.

"It's alright. The movie hasn't started yet," Chosen smiled.

"So, what exactly are we watching again?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, we're just going to see your son kick reptilian ass."

"Cool! This is going to be so awesome! I can't wait!" Ruby pumped her fists.

"Ruby, calm down," Nagato chided. "Save your excitement for the movie."

"Ah, to see Oyakata-sama's descendant in action. Now that is something truly worth watching," smiled Ranmaru blissfully.

"Put on your 3D glasses. It's starting," Chosen instructed.

" **ROMANCE IN THE SHOKU KINGDOM"**

" **HUNT FOR THE LEGENDARY RIDER LOCKSEEDS"**

" **SANGOKUDEN ARMORED WAR GODS SAGA THE MOVIE: PAST AND PRESENT, ALL HEARTS UNITED!"**

"WOW! THIS IS AWESOME!" exclaimed Ruby.

"It's just the previews, Ruby," Nagato pointed out.

"Hey, keep it down in front!" yelled a voice and Ruby stood up to look behind her. She gasped. Sitting in the seats behind them were Maga, Kademu, Sorisa and Moriya.

"What are you monsters doing here!?" Ranmaru demanded.

"We're on our Hell Break and we thought it would be nice to do something together," said Moriya.

"Actually, we don't have a choice. We're shackled together," Kademu added.

"But we still get to see Braco get his ass handed to him, so it's not so bad," Sorisa said.

"We need more snacks," whined Maga.

"We got plenty! So pipe down!" yelled Moriya.

"Well...enjoy the movie...I guess," Ruby awkwardly replied and sat down. "Hell gives breaks?" she whispered.

"I don't think so," Nagato responded, unsure.

"They probably just snuck out," Chosen whispered back. "Oh, and now the real show is about to begin."

"I bet Naga-chan will be awesome," Ruby said confidently.

"I wager he will perform majestically," added Ranmaru.

"And he'll get the girls," nodded Nagato. "All of the girls."

"We just have to wait and see, won't we?" smiled Chosen mysteriously as he saw the title that was onscreen:

" **AZURE ASCENSION"**

" _Nagata-sama!"_

" _Nagata!"_

" _Nagata-niichan!"_

"Everyone...everyone's calling for me..." realized Nagata as the glow around him grew brighter.

"Then go to them," Ruby's spirit told him.

"Guys!" he shouted as blue lightning burst around him.

Back in the real world, the Kachidoki Lockseed in Nagata's SengokuDriver glowed. The orange glow enveloped the unconscious young man before it flew away, leaving an empty bed.

Meanwhile, outside, the Shoku Warriors were facing against Braco. They were marred by their injuries, but they still stood their ground. While Nagata was out of commission, it was up to them to protect Touka Village and the Kingdom of Shoku.

Braco gathered up energy into his hand before he threw the Rinki sphere at them. Suddenly, an orange sphere intercepted the purple energy sphere and shattered it. The orange sphere then vanished to reveal none other than Nagata.

He was alive and back in action.

The Shoku Warriors gasped in shock, but were overjoyed to see their precious Blue King back on his feet. They ran towards him, gathering around him as they wept tears of joy.

"Naga-kun, you're alive!" Karasu exclaimed joyfully as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Nagata-niichan, huwaaaaa~!" Chouhi cried as she hugged her big brother tightly.

"Nagata-sama," Kanu said who also cried tears of joy as she saw her beloved.

"Nagata-sama, you're alive," Ryuubi spoke softly.

"I heard you hearts call out to me," Nagata said. It was thanks to his mother's spirit that he could hear their hearts calling out to him. He couldn't be anymore happier.

Chosen stood in the distance, awestruck by this. He then smiled in approval. "So, looks like he created his own miracle."

Braco hissed, "So, you're alive."

Nagata saw Braco and walked towards him, stopping only a few feet away. Blue lightning flashed from his chest before something came out. Nagata took hold of the object and activated it.

 **[LOCK OPEN!]**

A bright light enveloped him as a result before revealing his Rider form. However, the radiance surrounding him prevented anyone from seeing his new form clearly.

 **[RYUJIN ARMS!]**

Chosen's eyes widened as he shouted at the sight of the phenomenon, "NOW IT'S A SUPER MIRACLE!"

Braco fired a concentrated sphere of Rinki at Gaim, but he casually smacked it away.

 **[MUSOU SABER! HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU! DAIDAIMARU!]**

The weapon he summoned was the DJ Gun Sojinto Mode.

"I'll protect my friends, my family, and everyone in this land!" Gaim swore loudly as he swung his weapon.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

He swung vertically and horizontally, sending a giant cross of crackling blue energy flying towards Braco. He was engulfed by it and destroyed instantly.

 _* Special thanks to Bloodyredrose1994 for the above 'preview' clip._


	9. Azure Ascension

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **I recommend two songs. Use "Just Live More" during Nagata's dramatic entrance and "Ranbu Escalation" for the final action scene. You'll know when to play them. You can also decide what other songs you prefer for** _ **ambiance**_ **. Also, just to say this once:**

" **NAGATA'S ULTIMATE FORM WILL DEBUT!** **"**

* * *

The wise old sage, Brusa Li, sat in his temple. He was deep in his meditation when he felt a sudden spike of power. Opening his eyes, he looked towards the horizon. He may not be able to see what was happening, but he could still feel it.

"So, it's time," he spoke. "All four Sovereigns have gathered together."

The Black Turtle, the White Tiger, the Vermillion Phoenix and the Azure Dragon.

They had all awakened.

Just as foretold in the Celestial Chronicles.

Each of the Four Sovereigns was represented by a star. With each emergence, a new star would be born, corresponding to a different Sovereign. Now, a new star had emerged. It twinkled brightly with a sapphire shine. It actually shined much brighter than its brothers.

However, Brusa Li's expression turned grim as he knew what was coming next. With this part of the prophecy now being fulfilled, it marked the beginning of another chapter, a _darker_ chapter.

"And soon, _he_ will return."

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 8: Azure Ascension**

* * *

"I'll start with you, Ryuubi Gentoku," Braco hissed as he tightened his grip on her neck. Ryuubi gasped as she tried to pry Braco's hand off, only to feel overwhelming despair and fear. Was this truly the end? Were their efforts all for naught? After all of their battles and victories, was today the day that it would all come crumbling down?

Ryuubi never expected her life to end like this, not in such a pathetic manner. Before all this, she had lived a simple live of weaving mats with her mother. Then she heard tales of the Armored War Gods and wanted to meet them, especially Gaim. She finally got her chance when she came to Touka Village in search of her family heirloom which had been stolen from her by a man who also took her name.

She ended up going on grand adventures, meeting other Armored War Gods, and participating in many battles. She did all this as she stood at Gaim's side.

Now that she was the one leading, she felt only despair and powerlessness. She had failed Nagata and now they were going to pay an awful price.

Was this truly the end?

Wasn't there any sort of miracle to turn this around?

"Ryuubi Gentoku, you were said to be destined for greatness. Looks like fate had other plans. How about I end your life the same way I ended Gaim's?" spoke Braco. "It's a shame that he can't be here to watch all this. I might feel some sense of satisfaction."

Ryuubi's eyes narrowed angrily. How dare this monster speak about her precious Nagata like that? In an unexpected display of defiance, she spat at Braco's face.

Braco wiped the spit away with his free hand as he shot a chilling glare into Ryuubi's eyes.

"Congratulations. Just for that, you get to _suffer_ ," Braco hissed as he prepared his **True Poison** for her. The dose he prepared for her wouldn't cause instant death. Instead, she would suffer a slow, agonizing death.

Ryuubi showed no fear, just like Nagata. She wasn't about to give Braco the satisfaction.

As Braco prepared to execute her, Ryuubi's final thoughts were of her family, her precious friends, her sisters-in-arms, and finally of her beloved lord.

' _Goodbye, everyone. Goodbye, Nagata-sama. I love you._ '

"Touka!" shouted Kosonsan.

"Touka-sama!" screamed Gien.

"Aneue!" yelled Kanu.

"Touka-neechan!" exclaimed Chouhi.

They all watched in horror as Braco held Ryuubi in his deadly grip, powerless to do anything due to his crippling venomous aura. Even the Armored War Gods couldn't do anything to help, especially after the complete beatdown they experienced at Braco's hands.

Gien punched the ground as she struggled to get up, trying to force herself to stand so she could save Ryuubi, but the Venomous Rinki was preventing her from rising to her feet. In her failure to stand, she let out a yell of frustration. She had lost her sister and now she was going to lose her beloved mistress. She had sworn to protect her but had failed miserably.

Kosonsan wanted to help her best friend. Sure, Ryuubi could be annoying, but she never meant to be. Besides, they were childhood friends and while growing up they always had each other's backs. That was why she did not even hesitate to come to her aid. Ryuubi would do the same for her. But now she could only watch as Ryuubi was about to be killed right before her eyes.

Kanu and Chouhi, Ryuubi's sworn sisters, desperately tried to fight the effects of Braco's venomous Rinki. Unfortunately, no matter how much they tried, they couldn't move. They were rendered powerless by his presence alone. They had tried to avenge Nagata and failed. Now they would all pay the price, starting with Ryuubi.

Idunn watched the scene, but not with the same sense of dread as the others. She couldn't care less if Ryuubi died. It would mean one less rival. In fact, she would appreciate if Braco killed all her rivals for her. She could keep her hands clean and then comfort her grieving Naga-kun once he woke up and heard the tragic news. However, Braco had earned her ire first by harming her Naga-kun. Right now she hated him more than the girls who were trying to steal her beloved Naga-kun away. If Ryuubi ended up dying with Braco, that was more than acceptable.

But things rarely did turn out the way we plan them.

" _Guys!"_

Ryuubi could've sworn she heard his voice. Perhaps it was just her mind playing tricks on her as she was about to die.

" _Guys, I'm here!"_

While it wasn't very loud, everyone heard the voice clearly and they instantly recognized the owner.

Ryuubi uttered _his_ name.

"Nagata-sama..."

A loud draconic roar shattered the silence as a glowing blue blur sped towards Braco, taking him completely by surprise. The Venom Fists' sole surviving member, too startled to react accordingly, was struck by an explosive impact that sent him skidding backward and broke his hold on Ryuubi. The shining figure then caught Ryuubi in his arms.

The figure's luminescent silhouette was covered in blue light which crackled with electricity. Cradled gently in its arms, Ryuubi felt a familiar warmth as she gazed up into its eyes. As the glow covering the figure faded, they saw who it was that had arrived to save Ryuubi and were speechless.

It was Gaim.

Various utterances of surprise, relief and disbelief followed.

"Nagata-sama..." Kanu's eyes widened at the sight of Gaim, garbed in his Kachidoki Arms Armor, as he stood before them, with Ryuubi cradled protectively in his arms.

Idunn uttered, relieved and overjoyed, "Naga-kun...you're alive."

"Oda-kun!" Zangetsu exclaimed.

"Oda…" Baron muttered.

"It's got to be a miracle," awed Knuckle.

Everyone was shocked to see him up and about. According to Kada, the venom in his body had left him in a death-like state.

So, how was he here?

"Nagata-sama...?" Ryuubi asked hopefully as she locked eyes with the Rider's orange visor. "Is that...is that _you_?" She didn't want this to be some kind of trauma-induced hallucination.

"Hey, Touka," the Blue King replied, his familiar voice confirming his identity. "I'm back."

"Nagata-sama...it's really you..." Ryuubi whispered.

Tears of joy welled up in Ryuubi's eyes as Gaim gently set her back on her feet. She didn't care why or how he was here.

"Leave this to me," Gaim told her.

Braco could not believe his eyes.

It wasn't possible.

But here he was.

It was a miracle.

Gaim had returned.

"Hello, Braco. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Gaim casually greeted the Cobra Rinrinshi, as if he'd just met a friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

"How are you even still alive?" Braco demanded as he tried to maintain his composure. However, deep down, he trembled with anxiety and rage. His **True Poison** should've killed Gaim. That was its function. As good as it was in reviving the dead, it was just as effective as killing someone, absolutely.

"I think we both know the answer to that question, don't we?" Gaim asked rhetorically.

Braco felt that there was something different about Gaim now. He narrowed his dark eyes at him and could sense a familiar power coming from him. As he had been exposed to the Seal of Heaven's power, he could recognize its signature quite well. He could feel it coming off Gaim. The power that was rolling off him right now was the same as the power from the Seal of Heaven.

"I see. So the Seal of Heaven saved you," Braco realized.

"It may not have awoken my Celestial Armor at the time, but it stopped your venom from killing me. I was still affected by your _Madoku_ , though. I was in a death-like state up until now. Fortunately, I have good friends and they managed to nurse me back to health," Gaim explained.

"And the first thing you decided to do after your recovery was come face me again," Braco scoffed.

"Of course. After all, you and I have unfinished business," Gaim said with narrowed eyes. Beneath his visor, his silver eyes held an intense gaze. It was like a pair of swords was piercing Braco's inhuman soul.

Braco hissed out a snicker.

"I see. Very well, maybe you'll provide me with a much better challenge than these fools. But make no mistake, Gaim. This time I'll _definitely_ kill you."

He was called the **One-Hit-Kill Sniping Master** for a reason. When he killed someone, they stayed dead, and he wasn't going let his record be tainted.

"I'd like to see you _try_ ," Gaim challenged.

The Kachidoki Lockseed glowed and he held his hand underneath the glowing core. A sphere of light was ejected from the core and Gaim caught it in his hand. The sphere faded, revealing his **Ryujin Key**.

"What is _that_?" Braco questioned as he tensed up. He felt the power coming from the key, and he didn't like it one bit.

With a click of the release switch, Gaim activated the Ryujin Key. The colored sections flashed as it called out.

 **[ORANGE, PINE, ICHIGO, CARAMBOLA, PAPAYA, BLUEBERRY, GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**

A glowing portal opened up above Gaim, releasing almost all of Gaim's Armor Parts. Everyone gawked at the sight. Orange, Pine, Ichigo, Blueberry, Papaya, Carambola and Grapefruit Energy Armor Parts gathered together above Gaim before they merged together. In a bright flash of rainbow-colored light, a brilliant dragon was called forth.

 **[RYUJIN!]**

The brilliant dragon let loose a mighty roar that made everyone speechless as they awed at its beauty and majesty. Braco's eyes widened at the sight of the dragon. Could this be the power the Seal of Heaven had granted Gaim?

Calmly, Gaim slotted the Ryujin Key into the left side of his Kachidoki Lockseed. He gave the Ryujin Key a twist, causing a panel over the core of his Kachidoki Lockseed to flip down to reveal the rainbow-colored core that was hidden underneath. The panel lay over the lid's backside to reveal a new Rider Indicator.

 **[LOCK OPEN!]**

The dragon of light roared and flew straight into Gaim's body, merging with him. This caused the Kachidoki Arms Armor to glow as lightning arched around it. Pieces of it loosened before the armor exploded to pieces, accompanied by a splash of sparkling juice-like energy, sending the pieces of the armor flying in all directions. The flying armor pieces miraculously missed everyone that was watching, even Braco.

Everyone could only bear witness to what happened next.

As Gaim's Ride Wear suit was exposed, a golden pulse spread from his SengokuDriver, changing his suit's color and appearance. The sleeves and leggings flashed as new color filled in. New bracers and greaves formed as armor with the dragon face on it materialized over his upper torso.

The dragon of light wrapped around his body before morphing into a longcoat which draped itself over him, mounting pauldrons onto his shoulders. His helmet glowed as it morphed as well, the head crest becoming symmetrical with dragon-like frills now forming on the sides of the helmet while his visor flashed and turned green.

Braco had to shield his eyes from the resulting glare and demanded, "What is _this!?_ "

Gaim's body glowed with a radiant aura that slowly faded to reveal his new form. The torso portion of the Ride Wear suit was blue but the sleeves and leggings were white and appeared to be made out of scale mail. Silver armored flaps hung from his belt as silver greaves and gauntlets were attached to his limbs. Dark blue armor covered his torso with a golden dragon's face on his chest while pauldrons resembling dragon claws were mounted on his shoulders. His new **Ryujin Kabuto** helmet was silver and white, resembling a Japanese samurai's kabuto with dragon-like frills on the sides. His signature crest remained largely unchanged.

Draped over his armor was a high-collared, jinbaori longcoat that looked like it was made from shining sapphire dragon scales. This was the **Ryujin Raiment**. It had silver inner lining and gold trim. Instead of looking gaudy, it gave him a majestic appearance as the coattails fluttered dramatically behind him. His personal crest was also proudly displayed on the back. Strapped around his waist and over the coat was his SengokuDriver with the Musou Saber hanging from the left side of his belt. Finally, his green visor flashed, shining as brilliantly as his armor.

The aura that radiated from Gaim's new transformation caused the effects of Braco's venomous aura to subside as everyone slowly began to recover. It was like some sort of holy aura that purified everything in its presence. At the same time, Zangetsu, Gridon, and Baron's Sovereign Lockseeds glowed.

 **[RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

"Ascending to the Throne. **Armored War God Ryujin Gaim** , On Stage," Gaim declared firmly.

The Shoku Warriors were struck speechless at their lord's brilliant transformation, and the Armored War Gods were stunned as well. Zangetsu, Baron, and Gridon could feel the power coming from Gaim now and it was at an entirely different level than it was before.

"So beautiful..." Ryuubi was completely in awe of his new form. He looked utterly majestic and powerful. She always thought his armor looked amazing before but this new armor was in a different class altogether.

"Nagata-sama...?" Kanu's eyes widened in awe. What had happened to Gaim and why did she have this feeling that he had just ascended beyond anything she had witnessed before? Was this the true form of the Messenger of Heaven?

"Is that...Is that really Nagata...?" Ryugen asked in shock.

"A new Arms? But how?" Zangetsu wondered.

"What the fuck?" Gridon cussed.

"It's a damn miracle," awed Knuckle.

"Nagata-niichan is shining!" Chouhi cheered.

"Naga-kun, sugoi..." Idunn blushed under her helmet.

"How majestic," Chou'un smiled, impressed.

"Just look at his coat! He looks awesome!" cheered Bacho.

Ryujin Gaim walked towards Braco as the Cobra Rinrinshi hissed at the sight of him. Braco could not ignore what he felt as he sensed Ryujin Gaim's power spike so dramatically. However, he tried to remain calm, struggling even. He had a reputation to maintain and it wouldn't do him any good to panic, even if every cell in his body was screaming at him to do so right now.

"Just because you have new armor, that doesn't mean you stand a chance against me!" Braco furiously yelled at Ryujin Gaim as he swung his glowing Yojato blades. " _Yojazan!_ "

The curved blades crashed down upon Ryujin Gaim's shoulders violently, but it didn't look like he was affected at all as he showed no signs of pain. Not letting up, Braco slashed Ryujin Gaim again and did this repeatedly, ripping sparks off with each brutal strike. However, his strikes didn't seem to be affecting Ryujin Gaim, causing him to pause.

Braco was bewildered by this and made the fatal mistake of lowering his guard, allowing Ryujin Gaim to land a punch to his face that pushed him back. Braco staggered back from the hit as Ryujin Gaim advanced on him. He threw another punch into Braco's chest, before he threw another, and another, and another, each blow impacting his body with painful force. Braco grunted with each blow, and Ryujin Gaim continued to land several strikes upon the reptilian Rinrinshi before knocking him back with a front snap kick.

"Braco, no matter how many times you put me down, I will come back, _always_ and _stronger_ than before. That is why you're not going to beat me this time," Ryujin Gaim stated.

"Who do you think you are?" Braco hissed.

"Who am I? I am the hope of the people," Ryujin Gaim started as he swiftly drew his Musou Saber and slashed Braco in the chest, breaking through his guard once more to slice into his flesh. Braco retaliated with his twin Yojato but his two swords were parried as Ryujin Gaim used his Musou Saber to block them.

"I am the answer to anyone who wishes for hope, peace, and justice!"

Bracing himself, Ryujin Gaim pushed Braco back and struck him across the chest again with the Musou Saber, throwing him back further. Braco slashed at him again, but Ryujin Gaim parried him once more before he sent Braco reeling with a powerful kick.

"I am the light in the darkness! An ally to good! A nightmare to you!"

Crackling blue electrical energy surrounded the Musou Saber as Braco hissed. They resumed their furious exchange of blows, sparks exploding from the violent clash of the Rinki-enveloped Yojato and the energized Musou Saber. Ryujin Gaim was able to counter all of Braco's strikes before they locked blades.

Ryujin Gaim paused as he gave Braco an intense glare.

"My name is **Nagata Oda**! I am **Ryujin Gaim**! **AND I AM AN ARMORED WAR GOD!"**

After that declaration, they broke apart, glaring at each other.

"I killed you once, Gaim! I can kill you again and it will be _permanent_!" Braco yelled angrily as he prepared to attack him again.

Ryujin Gaim was ready for him. Much to everyone's surprise, Ryujin Gaim suddenly threw his Musou Saber up into the air. Even Braco paused to watch the sword being thrown upwards before he realized his mistake. Ryujin Gaim took advantage of the diversion to stun Braco with a punch to the jaw as he twisted the Ryujin Key, causing the belt to announce.

 **[DAIDAIMARU!]**

His signature orange scimitar appeared in his left hand and he used it to slash Braco across the chest. When his Musou Saber dropped back down, he caught it and slashed Braco repeatedly in the chest with both his signature blades, sending the Cobra Rinrinshi staggering with a furious flurry of spark-ripping strikes. He continued to land strike after strike with both blades before he threw Braco backward with a vicious swipe of his weapons.

Baron watched in approval at the clever use of a distraction by Ryujin Gaim. By throwing his sword into the air, he made his opponent look up for just a second. It was a risky move, but the distraction provided Ryujin Gaim with enough time to summon up a new weapon before he used both to attack his enemy.

After banishing both swords, Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key again.

 **[PINE IRON!]**

The Pine Iron appeared next, taking the place of both the Daidaimaru and Musou Saber, much to the Shoku Warriors' surprise. He bashed the pineapple-shaped morning star into Braco repeatedly, causing him to cry out and hiss with each blow. Each swing of the Pine Iron was accompanied by a golden aura dragon which added more damage with each hit he landed.

"Nagata-niichan!" Chouhi cheered. "GAMBATTE!"

"How...? How is he doing that?" Kochu questioned. The others were wondering the same thing themselves. They had just witnessed Ryujin Gaim summon his Orange Arms' signature Daidaimaru before he switched to the Pine Arms' signature Pine Iron.

"I think...I think he can summon the weapons of all his Arms," Gridon speculated, still stunned by Ryujin Gaim's new Ryujin Arms and its power. None of them could even leave a dent on Braco. Even when they managed to injure him, he was able to heal himself. Now, Ryujin Gaim was not only able to hurt Braco, but he seemed to be winning.

 **[BERRAPIER!]**

 **[BLUE GAUCHE!]**

Gridon's words were proven true as the Pine Iron vanished and was replaced by the Berrapier and the Blue Gauche. Ryujin Gaim attacked Braco with slashes and thrusts of his Berrapier, causing him to cry out with each strike. The Blue Gauche came into play once he was within range to stab into Braco's flesh, with speed and precision. Braco swung his swords to strike Ryujin Gaim down, but he blocked them with his blades before he stabbed Braco in the right eye with the Blue Gauche, causing him to scream as he recoiled in pain.

The injury healed, but the pain remained, and it was excruciating.

"You...YOU BASTARD!" Braco screamed as he concentrated his Dorinki into his Yojato and launched the energy slash at Ryujin Gaim in a single burst. " _Yojazan!_ "

Tossing the Blue Gauche aside, Ryujin Gaim calmly twisted the Ryujin Key causing the belt to announce the name of the next summoned weapon.

 **[MELON DEFENDER!]**

Zangetsu's signature shield materialized in front of Ryujin Gaim and blocked Braco's attack, much to everyone's shock, especially Zangetsu's. Braco was especially surprised since that was one of his strongest attacks.

" _Deigyokudan!_ "

Braco fired the **Mudball Bombs** , bombarding Ryujin Gaim with a barrage and foul-smelling projectiles. The attack caused an explosion that made Braco smile as he had just destroyed his enemy.

 **[COCO BOXERS!]**

Suddenly, Knuckle's signature gauntlets in Coconut Arms rocketed out of the smoke and smashed into Braco's face, knocking him painfully backward. Ryujin Gaim also stepped out of the smoke, unharmed sans the Melon Defender.

 **[WIZARDSWORDGUN!]**

The WizardSwordGun appeared in Ryujin Gaim's right hand in its Gun Mode before he fired at Braco. The silver bullets pierced the Cobra Rinrinshi's body as he cried out, sparks blasting off with each shot.

 **[DURI NOKO!]**

Next, Bravo's signature spiked broadswords, the Duri Noko, appeared in Ryujin Gaim's hands. He roared and charged at Braco who had just recovered from the silver bullets. He charged at Ryujin Gaim with his Yojato and the two of them clashed violently as sparks erupted with each powerful impact of their weapons. Their clash was both violent and stunning as the Armored War Gods and Shoku Army generals watched speechlessly. The Blue King was now a match for the enhanced leader of the Venom Fists.

"The shield, the gauntlets and now _those_ swords," Chou'un pointed out. "Those are _not_ Gaim-sama's weapons."

"No, but he had wielded them when we went on our quest to Go," Kanu answered, remembering when they had stopped at Bravo's auction and how Nagata used the Durian and Coconut Lockseeds. Later, when they arrived at Son Go for the medicine ingredient, Nagata had also used Zangetsu's Melon Lockseed.

"I stand corrected. He's not only able to summon all _his_ Arms Weapons. He can summon the Arms Weapons of _every_ Arms he has ever accessed," corrected Gridon. That was a frighteningly useful and versatile ability.

"Sugoi," Ryuubi awed. She thought she had seen everything that he could do before, but now Nagata had surprised her yet again and she was in complete awe at what she was witnessing.

Braco put away his Yojato and channeled Kademu's Dorinki as he called out, " _Centipede-Ken! Ringi! Okumansho_!"

In response, Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key to summon a new weapon.

 **[APPLE REFLECTER!]**

Summoning Idunn's signature shield, Ryujin Gaim used it to block Braco's barrage of rapid palm strikes. The Cobra Rinrinshi's palms struck the shield rapidly but did no damage as Ryujin Gaim stood his ground.

" _Midare Shuriken!_ "

Braco conjured a huge array of shuriken and hurled them towards Gaim. They flew around in all directions before converging towards him. However, Ryujin Gaim already had a counter ready as he gave the Ryujin Key another twist.

 **[ICHIGO KUNAI! CARAMBOLA STARS!]**

Flying like arrows and exploding like missiles, the Ichigo Kunai and Carambola Stars suddenly appeared and intercepted the **Erratic Shuriken** attack. Braco's attack was instantly nullified, much to his shock. The remaining Carambola Stars and Ichigo Kunai then homed in on Braco. He was struck repeatedly by the projectiles and thrown to the ground by the explosive weapons. Ryujin Gaim capitalized on the opening given to him and summoned another weapon.

 **[SWORD BRINGER!]**

Swinging Idunn's Sword Bringer, Ryujin Gaim slashed Braco across the chest as he was picking himself up. He immediately went for another swing, but Braco managed to block as he crossed his Yojato to catch the claymore's blade before he knocked Ryujin Gaim back with a kick. Braco attempted to slice Ryujin Gaim's head off but the newly ascended Rider blocked with his shield before he sent Braco reeling with a brutal thrust.

"Gah!" Braco grunted. " _Scorpion-Ken! Hiden Ringi! Jugoku Hen!_ "

The scorpions were thrown at Ryujin Gaim as his visor glowed. As the scorpions covered his entire body, they prepared to sting him to death. However, Ryujin Gaim's body began to spark before he released a deadly electrical discharge from his body. The scorpions were instantly electrocuted, burnt to a crisp before they turned to dust.

No longer swarmed by deadly scorpions, Ryujin Gaim retaliated.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

The Sword Bringer glowed with crimson energy as it charged up with energy from Ryujin Gaim. He then swung the sword for a powerful slash.

" _Taiyupao!_ " Braco called once he regained his composure and covered himself with a protective barrier. The blade crashed harmlessly against the barrier. Braco grinned. It appeared that the **Oily Body-Armor** would be able to hold against the slash, but that was until the barrier started to crack.

Ryujin Gaim's Sword Bringer managed to break through the **Oily Body-Armor**. Braco screamed with each powerful slash hitting him. He tried to defend with the Yojato, but Ryujin Gaim broke those too before he finished his combo and threw Braco to the ground. Smoke was rising out of the wounds Braco had just earned from the Sword Bringer as he hissed in pain.

"How...how can this be...?" Braco gritted out weakly as he struggled to stand. "This is _impossible_! The Seal of Heaven made me _invincible_! How are you doing this!? How can you have this much power? What happened to you!? Answer me!"

He was superior! He possessed Dorinki! How could this armored whelp do this to him!?

"I pity you, Braco," Ryujin Gaim stated.

"What did you say?" Braco demanded.

"I said I pity you," Ryujin Gaim repeated. "You're so strong, yet you only aspire to find stronger opponents so you may defeat them and prove your superiority. I can respect ambition, but nothing as empty as that."

"You think my ambition is _empty_ , Gaim!?" Braco shot back.

"You fight for the sake of fighting, and you gain power only for the sake of power." Ryujin Gaim was describing Braco as a 'Blood Knight'. It was an individual obsessed with battle, and it was not as glamorous as most popular fiction might portray. In reality, a Blood Knight was someone who was emotionally and mentally detached from society. It was someone who could not make any true connections, so they compensate through fighting. It was an addiction that could not be sated and they would always be looking for the next great battle or war to satisfy their unquenchable thirst.

That was basically Braco in a nutshell.

"Don't you have anything you want to protect?" Ryujin Gaim finally asked.

Braco became overcome with rage and madness. How dare Gaim question his ambition!?

"And are you saying you don't have ambition!? None at all!?" Braco spat spitefully.

"I have ambition. It's just not fueled by pettiness," Ryujin Gaim retorted.

"Pettiness? _Pettiness_!? How dare you!? You stand in front of me, avenging your defeat, and you have the gall to call _me_ petty?" Braco snapped back furiously.

"When have I ever said this was about revenge? Unlike you, I don't dwell on things as pointless as that," Ryujin Gaim replied.

"So why are you here?" Braco demanded.

"You come here to threaten my friends, my loved ones, my _family_. I think my reasons for being here are pretty damn clear," Ryujin Gaim answered.

Braco hissed in fury. How dare Gaim return and act so sanctimonious?

"No more playing around! I'll destroy you Gaim! Destroy you utterly and this time you won't be coming back!" Braco began to gather the Rinki of the fallen Rinshi footsoldiers. They arose from the ashes and gathered in the air before they flowed towards him. He opened his mouth and swallowed up the Rinki.

Ryujin Gaim watched as the Rinki was absorbed by Braco, healing his wounds.

"So, _this_ is how you got stronger," Ryujin Gaim realized as he witnessed this.

"That's right, Gaim," Braco confirmed.

Ryujin Gaim recalled the techniques Braco used earlier, signature techniques that could only be used by his teammates, and came to another conclusion.

"You absorbed the energy from your fallen comrades," Ryujin Gaim deduced.

"Their deaths served a purpose, yet I couldn't allow their Dorinki to go to waste," replied Braco, unabashed by what he had done.

"So you're even willing to sacrifice your own comrades in order to become stronger." Ryujin Gaim clenched his fists. To use his own comrades as cannon fodder, then to sacrifice them in order to gain more power, was a whole new low for Braco.

However, Braco wasn't done just yet. His body started to change as his purple scales turned pitch black. Thick gauntlets grew out of his forearms, with each gauntlet sprouting out three blade-like claws. Centipede-like legs grew out of his arms and legs while a thick and long scorpion tail grew out from the base of his skull. The ring on his back was also replaced by a giant version of Moriya's signature shuriken.

The form Braco had taken looked just like a composite of himself and his comrades. What Ryujin Gaim could see was a gross abomination. Braco had gained this form and power from cannibalizing his comrades' Dorinki and the Rinki of the fallen Rinshi of his army. This was what Braco's hunger for power had led him to what he had become. He had indeed made himself powerful but in the most disgusting way possible.

Feeling his power growing, Braco grinned and charged towards Ryujin Gaim. In response, Ryujin Gaim discarded his weapons and clenched his fists. Using his forearms, he blocked Braco's strikes. Their arms blurred as they exchanged blows, with Braco rapidly throwing punches while Ryujin Gaim blocked and countered. Braco managed to hit Ryujin Gaim across the face but received a solid punch in the face in return. The two then kicked each other in the chest, sending each other skidding back.

Shooting his arm forward, Braco's claws slashed across Ryujin Gaim's chest. The power of his strikes had increased with his latest transformation, but Ryujin Gaim managed to shrug it off and retaliate. There was just too much riding on this right now.

The furious exchange resumed.

Another strike from Braco landed, sending Ryujin Gaim staggering back. Braco hit him next with a solid kick to the chest and then threw another punch that was aimed for Ryujin Gaim's heart. However, Ryujin Gaim sidestepped the punch and caught Braco's forearm by trapping it with his own underarm. Braco tried to pry his arm away, even hitting Ryujin Gaim with his free arm. The Blue King held it firmly with a solid grip before he punched Braco right in the throat.

Braco had a coughing fit as he staggered from the blow, allowing Ryujin Gaim to throw another punch that struck him in the jaw, stunning him. Another punch collided with Braco's chest. Finally, Ryujin Gaim hit him with a powerful roundhouse kick to the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Picking himself up, the tail hanging from the back of Braco's skull finally came into play. It rose up, extended and shot towards Ryujin Gaim like a snake that was going to bury its fangs into him. Ryujin Gaim barely managed to dodge the attack as the stinger went past him. However, Braco recovered and pulled his tail back for another strike. Ryujin Gaim was able to keep up and dodge with his speed, but Braco was adapting and gaining speed as well. Finally, he found an opening and the stinger was just an inch from piercing Ryujin Gaim's heart.

Unfortunately for him, Ryujin Gaim managed to catch the tail and hold it in a tight grip. Braco tried to retract his tail, but Ryujin Gaim held firm as he tightened his grip and tugged on the appendage. Braco was pulled towards Ryujin Gaim who raised his leg to kick him right in the face. Ryujin Gaim then tossed Braco up into the air before he slammed him into the ground. Then he spun around and around and tossed Braco into the sky.

Looking up at Braco's airborne form, Ryujin Gaim hit his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

A draconic roar followed the announcement and Ryujin Gaim leaped into the air, trailing blue electrical energy. Braco saw him coming fast, positioning his body for a flying kick. The blue electrical energy surrounded Ryujin Gaim, taking the form of a blue dragon as he sped towards Braco for the killing blow.

" _Dai Ryujin… RIDER KICK!"_

Braco wasn't about to allow himself to be defeated. He had sacrificed so much just to fall here. He curled his body into a ball and began to roll his body around and around as Dorinki gathered around him, forming a spinning shell of dark violet energy. He shot towards Ryujin Gaim, gaining momentum before they both violently collided.

Braco threw his fist at Ryujin Gaim's extended foot as they crashed into each other. The force of their collision caused a mighty explosion which colored the sky. Those witnessing from the ground saw the collision and watched as an explosion bloomed in the sky. It was a mix of colors with dark violet and blue lighting up the sky. The explosion was deafening and everyone couldn't tell who had won.

Then they saw two shooting stars, one purple and one blue, fall from the sky and crash to the ground with a loud boom. When the dust cleared, Ryujin Gaim and Braco were revealed as they stood in the center of a huge crater that was made by their own landing.

Braco's right arm hung limply, completely useless, damaged by their collision. Gripping it with his left hand, he let out a scream as he tore it right off and discarded it. Black blood splattered onto the ground as Ryujin Gaim witnessed the insane act of self-inflicted injury. However, his look of horrified confusion soon turned to comprehension as Braco used the **Rapid-Growth Arm** technique to grow his right arm back. He flexed the fingers of his new arm, examining them, before turning his gaze back at Ryujin Gaim.

Braco panted, taking deep and short breaths as he glared at Ryujin Gaim. Coming back to life had some drawbacks, but they were worth it to gain power. However, right now, he had truly met his match. Ryujin Gaim had returned, stronger than ever, and was keeping up with him. Even more so, he seemed to be getting stronger.

That was something Braco could not-would not allow. He could not accept that a whelp like Gaim had become stronger than he could ever be. He raised his arms to conjure a massive sphere of Dorinki. It was ten times the size of a soccer ball, with a destructive force that was powerful enough to wipe whole kingdoms off the face of the Earth. He hurled the concentrated sphere of Dorinki towards Ryujin Gaim. He wasn't just aiming to kill Ryujin Gaim. He wanted to kill everyone else that was still watching.

"GOODBYE, GAIM! GO TO HEEEEEELL!"

Unfortunately for Braco, he terribly miscalculated. Ryujin Gaim did the unexpected. The moment the Dorinki sphere was close enough to hit its target, he _reacted_. He braced himself, with blue lightning crackling around him, and literally _caught_ the potent sphere of destructive Dorinki. Ryujin Gaim braced himself, digging his feet into the ground as he held his ground.

Braco had gotten stronger in order to take him down, but Ryujin Gaim couldn't allow himself to be overwhelmed. He saw the state everyone was in upon his arrival, and had seen all the dead bodies as well. If he fell here, right now, then there would be nobody to stop Braco from killing everyone and destroying everything.

And that was why he couldn't fall here. He couldn't allow himself to lose when there was so much riding on this. With that in mind, and resolve fueling him, Ryujin Gaim's strength spiked as he yelled and _kicked_ the Dorinki sphere skyward. It soared high into the sky, leaving the stratosphere, before exploding harmlessly out there.

Braco gaped at this incredulously. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. That had been his strongest attack, yet Ryujin Gaim just kicked it without detonating it.

"Damn... _Damn you_ , Gaim!" Braco shrieked as he witnessed this, trembling with barely contained rage. This couldn't be happening! Not to him! He was all powerful! He was _unstoppable_! He was _invincible_! He was a master and expert of his fighting style, with many, many years of combat experience while Ryujin Gaim was merely a boy! A novice! A whelp!

So why was he, the **One-Hit-Kill Sniping Master** , losing!?

"Surrender, Braco! It's over!" Ryujin Gaim ordered.

"NEVER!" Braco hissed loudly as he clenched his fists. He wasn't just going to quit because his opponent had just suddenly gained an advantage. He had augmented himself with the Seal of Heaven, enhanced his power by absorbing the Dorinki of his comrades, and the Rinki of his Rinshi army, and yet...and yet it still wasn't enough! Ryujin Gaim was still stronger than him! This was completely unacceptable!

This fight would only be over once one of them was dead. Braco wasn't going to stop until he put Ryujin Gaim down for good, and destroyed his body to make sure he stayed dead. He would then turn what was left of Ryujin Gaim to dust so there was no way of bringing him back. And then...and then he would kill everyone here to keep Ryujin Gaim company in whatever Hell he ended up in.

Braco yelled as he charged towards Ryujin Gaim. The Blue King of Shoku also dashed towards Braco. Once they met in the middle, they cocked their arms back and threw a punch at the same time. The claws of Braco's gauntlets grazed across the side of Ryujin Gaim's helmet, but he received the full impact of his foe's fist and was thrown backward.

The side of Braco's face was literally cracked as dark Ki and blood seeped out. He was about to go on the attack again when he felt something wrong. He felt something inside of him growing, blowing his body up from the inside, and threatening to tear him wide open.

"Braco!" Ryujin Gaim cried out.

"What... **WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Braco screamed as his body began to warp and expand in unnatural ways right before Ryujin Gaim's eyes. His skin stretched as the faces of his comrades could be seen struggling to try and get out. It was horrifying to watch.

"Braco..." Ryujin Gaim whispered as his opponent was going through a painful transformation. Absorbing all that Dorinki had made Braco's body unstable, and now he was paying the price for his hubris.

 **The Wicked Body Overpowering Earthly Change** (Jashin Gochi Hen) was a technique used by the RinJyuKen Akugata Beastmen to assume huge beast-like forms based on their signature Beast Fist styles, gaining more power but at the cost of their intelligence. They would turn into mindless berserkers as a result.

This was done voluntarily to gain an advantage over their opponents but after absorbing the fallen Rinshi's Rinki, Braco had just filled his body with power way beyond his limit. Even though he was enhanced by the Seal of Heaven, he still had his limits. Now he was going through the change involuntarily. Normally, Braco would turn into a gigantic cobra. However, as he had absorbed Dorinki from his fallen comrades, his Beast form would be altered as well.

And it was all happening right now, without his control. His body expanded and mutated with mismatched body parts sprouting until he lost his humanoid shape completely to become some kind of freak of nature. The creature's main body resembled a gigantic toad with its mouth wide open. It had the hind legs of a gecko and scorpion claws in place of forelegs. A scorpion's tail with a stinger at the tip was attached to its rear. From its gaping jaw was a giant centipede with a cobra's head at the very end which looked like its tongue.

A complete abomination, that was what Braco had become. He was now the **Chimera Beast**.

At the sight of the Chimera Beast, Gridon looked nauseous as he gagged. Memories of watching the original ' _The Thing_ ' resurfaced. It had been horrifying, just like what he had just seen happen to Braco.

"Oh God...I think I'm gonna be sick!" Gridon blurted out.

"Don't throw up in your helmet! That's just nasty!" warned Knuckle.

Ryujin Gaim jumped out of the crater as the Chimera Beast attempted to swallow him whole. That was when a glowing aura surrounded him and he hovered in the air.

"Hey, ugly! Catch me if you can!" Ryujin Gaim taunted as he glided backward when the claws came into play. He flew upwards to avoid being snapped by the Chimera Beast's jaws and claws. He evaded the stinger as the tail swiped at him, and was now far out of its reach for it to do anything.

Ryujin Gaim considered his options and tried to formulate a plan. His priority was to keep the mutated Braco, aka the Chimera Beast, from running amok. The amount of Ki it had now was staggering and continuously overflowing. Those claws, stingers, and fangs were bad news too, but he needed to get close enough to do any significant damage.

"What do I do?" Ryujin Gaim whispered to himself.

Suddenly, fireballs collided with the Chimera Beast and exploded, causing it to roar in pain. Blinking, Ryujin Gaim looked down to see Baron blasting the creature with fireballs.

"Huh?" Ryujin Gaim blinked as he saw the assistance he was getting. The other Armored War Gods had fully recovered and were coming to his aid.

"Don't think I'll just hang back and let you do all the work, Oda!" Baron shouted.

"We're warriors, not spectators!" Zangetsu added as he leaped and activated his SengokuDriver's Squash function.

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]**

Landing on the Chimera Beast's back, Zangetsu started to slash away at it with his Musou Saber. It swung its tail down and he jumped out of the way, causing it to sting itself before it let out another agonizing screech.

 _ **[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]**_

"Alright! Group up and hit it till it dies!" Knuckle yelled excitedly as he barraged the Chimera Beast with punches. "Atatatatatatatatatatatatatata!"

 **[COME ON! RINGO AU LAIT!]**

"This is our fight too, Naga-kun!" Idunn swung her sword and fired a giant energy apple that connected with the creature's head, causing it to recoil painfully from the resulting explosion and stagger in a stunned daze. Baron swooped in and slashed it across the neck with his Zhuqiao Talons as Zangetsu jumped and slashed an eye with his Musou Saber. It shrieked in pain from their assault.

Gridon summoned spheres of water and hurled them like cannonballs, hitting the Chimera Beast with a painful barrage. Ryugen also aimed and fired a series of energy bullets at it, with Chulainn shooting energy arrows with his Sonic Arrow, causing it to thrash about. It swung its claws around, knocking Ryugen, Chulainn, Idunn and Knuckle back. Fortunately for Chulainn, he didn't suffer another painful crotch shot.

The Chimera Beast dislodged its stinger from its back and swung it around, swatting Gridon and Zangetsu as Baron took to the air. A stream of corrosive venom was spat out by the Chimera Beast, hitting Baron, and causing him to crash to the ground.

As Ryujin Gaim's feet touched the ground, his eyes narrowed as he decided to end this fight. This had gone on for long enough. It was time to _finish it_.

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]**

His Kachidoki Arms' signature weapon appeared in his hand and he quickly loaded his Orange Lockseed into the DJ Gun's Drive Bay.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

Aiming his DJ Gun with both hands, Ryujin Gaim braced himself as energy gathered in front of the DJ Gun's barrel. Once it was fully charged, he squeezed the trigger.

 **[ORANGE CHARGE!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN HOU!"_

The deafening roar of a dragon was heard as the DJ Gun fired an intense blast of energy that took the shape of a roaring dragon. The **Great Dragon God Cannon** blast was so intense that the recoil sent Ryujin Gaim skidding back by ten feet. The Chimera Beast let out a shrill death cry as it was hit by the blast. The explosion that followed was so bright that everyone was forced to shield their eyes.

"Is it over?" Ryuubi asked hopefully, dreading the alternative.

"Not yet," Kanu answered grimly.

As the smoke cleared, Braco was revealed, back in his original Beastman form. He wasn't alone, however. Amazingly, standing with him were the other four members of the Five Venom Fists, all restored back to life.

Braco had used the True Poison to revive himself from the brink of death again. However, because he had fused his comrades' Dorinki into himself, he inadvertently ended up using his remaining five True Poison fangs to revive his comrades along with him.

"Oh come on! We just killed them already!" Knuckle cried out in frustration as he saw who was back from the dead.

"They're back, Oda!" Baron informed. Why did the most dangerous enemies keep coming back?

"They aren't staying for long," Ryujin Gaim responded as he twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[RYUJINMARU!]**

Appearing in his hand from a flash of light was a sword that nobody had ever seen before. It was a beautiful sapphire blade with a golden edge, shaped like an ascending dragon, with the head making up the tip while its talons made up the guard. The scale-covered hilt fit right in his hand as he tightened his hold around the ornate sword.

"ATTACK!" Braco ordered as he and the other members of the Five Venom Fists surrounded themselves with Dorinki and lunged towards Gaim.

"Eat this!" Ryujin Gaim shouted as he pushed the Cutting Blade down thrice to execute the Sparking finisher function.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

Golden energy blazed around the Ryujinmaru's blade as Ryujin Gaim held the hilt tightly with both hands. His visor glowed as his entire body was enveloped in the same blaze of golden energy.

He would finish this in a single stroke.

"Ore no Hissatsu! _DAI RYUJIN ZAN!_ "

With a loud shout, accompanied by a dragon's ferocious roar, Ryujin Gaim swung his Ryujinmaru with all his might, producing a massive blade of energy which came down on his enemies.

The Venom Fists were unable to avoid it as they were hit by Ryujin Gaim's **Great Dragon God Slash**. However, their Dorinki was still potent and they erected a barrier to protect themselves. They resisted Ryujin Gaim's power with their own and both forces pushed against each other.

Ryujin Gaim struggled to hold his ground, but the Venom Fists' combined might was pushing him back. It would appear that the Five Venom Fists were more than a match for Gaim's new power.

Unfortunately, the Venom Fists' attempt to protect themselves would soon prove futile.

Because Ryujin Gaim had friends.

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu shouted.

"Aisha?" Gaim blinked as she put her hands over his to secure his grip upon his weapon.

"Just hold on, Nagata-sama!" Bacho added as she gripped his arm, helping him brace against the Venom Fists.

"What are you girls doing?" Ryujin Gaim questioned as Chou'un, Ryuubi and Chouhi joined them, helping him to brace himself against the oncoming attack.

"Helping you, what else?" Chou'un smiled.

"Remember, you're never alone!" Ryuubi shouted.

"That's right, Onii-chan! Just tell us what to do!" Chouhi yelled.

Ryujin Gaim was speechless as he saw their courage, resolve, and determination. He steeled himself as he accepted their support.

"Alright! Hold on and push with _everything_ you got! **Together**!" Ryujin Gaim shouted and together they pushed his attack forward. However, it wasn't enough as they felt themselves being pushed right back. Batai and Gien soon joined them, helping them to hold their ground. "Need...more...power..."

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SQUASH!]**

 **[COME ON! XUANWU SQUASH!]**

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]**

 **[HAI~! BUDOU SQUASH!]**

 _ **[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]**_

 **[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]**

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

The other Armored War Gods fired their Squash finishers simultaneously and they slammed into the Venom Fists' barrier, weakening it for Gaim.

"ODA! FINISH IT NOW!" Baron shouted.

The glow of the Ryujinmaru intensified as a loud draconic roar boomed around them.

"This is our power, and with this power, we'll _everyone_!" Ryujin Gaim swore vehemently.

"GAAAAAAAAAAIM!" Braco screamed.

"BRACOOOOOOO!" Ryujin Gaim roared.

He and the girls roared furiously as his massive energy blade shattered the Venom Fists' barrier and engulfed them. The blade vaporized the Venom Fists as they screamed a final death cry.

Once the attack ceased and the dust settled, everyone saw a large, smoking trench in the ground. The Venom Fists were gone. They were nowhere to be seen. All that remained of them were their ash as it blew in the wind, signifying their end.

The girls released their hold on Ryujin Gaim as he lowered his arms. He then raised his Ryujinmaru, performed a diagonal stroke, and finally shouldered his sword.

"Embrace the darkness and rest in peace," Ryujin Gaim concluded. He didn't know how he came up with that, but it just sounded appropriate.

There was silence as everyone was awed and speechless. The silence only lasted for a few moments until Chouhi decided to break it.

"Yatta! We did it!" Chouhi cheered as she threw her arms up in celebration. Her cheering became infectious as the surviving warriors all cheered victoriously. They had done it! They had won!

Ryujin Gaim was just starting to come to terms with what had just happened. He was just as shocked as everyone else by the power he had displayed. The adrenaline rush must've prevented him from realizing it up until now. As it died down, he took in a deep breath.

"So this is my new power," Ryujin Gaim murmured as he took a moment to gaze at his hand in awe. He then reached down to close his Kachidoki Lockseed and remove the Ryujin Key. In a flash of light, his armor faded away, leaving him in his civilian form. He was in his normal garments, but without any of his signature haori.

"Onii-chan!" Chouhi immediately slammed into Nagata, knocking the wind out of him, as she glomped him. "You're back! You're really back! Uwaaaaa~!"

"Yeah, I'm back, Rinrin," Nagata smiled as he gently patted Chouhi's head. She let him go and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had lost both her parents and grandfather. She nearly lost her big brother too, but here he was.

His friends quickly gathered around him, smiling and crying tears of joy. Iori and Karasu both canceled their transformations as they joined the others.

"Nagata-sama, welcome back," greeted Ryuubi.

Nagata addressed Ryuubi, "Touka, I'm glad to see that my faith wasn't misplaced. You're really turning out to be a great leader. I'm proud of you."

Ryuubi blushed at the praise. Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, she flung herself at him, kissing him deeply and passionately. Nagata was taken aback by this but made no move to push her away. Before things could go any further, Kanu pulled her sworn sister away from their stunned lord.

"Aneue, now is not the time or place!" Kanu scolded. Though deep down, she wished she had kissed Nagata just now.

"Sorry, sorry," Ryuubi apologized, embarrassed. She was just so overwhelmed with emotion and couldn't control herself. Karasu was giving the rosette a very cold glare for what she did.

"...Well, that was unexpected," Nagata remarked with a red blush on his cheeks.

"Nagata-sama..." Kanu spoke softly.

"Aisha, I heard you."

"You _heard_ me?" Kanu asked, confused.

"Your heart. I heard it call out to mine," he clarified as he put his hand against his chest. He had heard the cries of their heart and had come to their aid in response. He then gave her a kiss, one she was all too happy to return.

"You really had us worried there," Bacho said as she playfully punched his shoulder.

"Sorry, Sui," Nagata apologized.

"If you really wanna apologize, you better marry Sui-neechan! She's not getting any younger!" Batai demanded.

"Tanpopo!" Bacho cried out in embarrassment as she smacked her cousin upside the head.

"Ow!"

"I'll think about it, Tanpopo," Nagata replied jovially.

"You owe me a piece of menma for every tear I've shed for you, Nagata-sama," Chou'un demanded.

"I'll see what I can do, Sei."

"Good to have you back, my friend," Iori said.

"Good to be back, buddy." Nagata fist-bumped Iori.

"Naga-kun." Karasu approached her cousin. She had no words to convey how she felt. Instead, she hugged him.

As the battle had ended, the other Armored War Gods also deactivated their armor. Closing their Lockseeds, their suits vanished in flashes of light.

"Ah, man," Haru sighed as he stretched his arms above his head. "I feel sore all over. How about you?" He looked to Hideyoshi, waiting for a response.

"I just want to lie down, relax, and try to put everything that happened today behind me," Hideyoshi confessed. He was just so tired. Some relaxing cuddle time with Totaku should refresh him.

"I'm going to check with a doctor later," Ichiro said worriedly. He had taken several blows to his groin and hoped there wasn't any permanent damage.

Masataka marveled at Nagata's newfound power. He was glad that he was an ally instead of an enemy. Still, he would need to make note of this and prepare proper countermeasures and contingencies just in case. For now, he was just relieved that this battle was over.

Mitsuki silently and carefully studied Nagata. The power he had witnessed was beyond anything he had seen before. It was like the power of the Sovereign Arms but added with something else.

Whatever it was, he was sure to find out.

"Karin would want to hear about this," Mitsuki murmured.

* * *

 **Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil**

 **Ryujin Arms:** Armored War God Gaim's final form, also known as **Ryujin Gaim** , accessed with the **Ryujin Key** (S.L.S.-QINGLONG). In addition to a significant increase in his physical stats, Gaim also gains absurd defense thanks to the **Ryujin Raiment** longcoat. He also gains the ability known as **Infinite Armory** to summon the Arms Weapons of all the Lockseeds he had ever accessed and the weapons of his friends with a simple twist of the Ryujin Key. This is likely because the Ryujin Key is able to read the residual energy left behind by the Lockseeds in his SengokuDriver and the bonds he shares with his friends. He also gains access to this form's signature Arms Weapon, the **Ryujinmaru** , which is a sword modeled after an ascending dragon.

As Ryujin Gaim, his physical might receive a massive boost while the power of the weapons he summons and the force of their finishers become far superior when wielded by a normal Sengoku Rider or Genesis Rider, allowing Ryujin Gaim to inflict even greater damage upon his foes. In addition, he can instantly master any weapons he summons, allowing him to use them expertly. Finally, he can use the same skills and abilities of the original wielders of the weapons.

Gaim also gains the ability to generate and control electricity, move at super speed, fly and change himself into a bolt of lightning for fast travel.

Like all his previous forms, Ryujin Gaim utilizes the SengokuDriver's 'Squash', 'Au Lait' and 'Sparking' functions to execute different finishers with his weapons. He has also gained a few more signature finishers in this form:

 **Dai Ryujin Rider Kick** ( _Great Dragon God Rider Kick_ ): Ryujin Gaim gathers electrical energy into his legs for his signature Rider Kick. It is a flying kick with incredible destructive power. It can strike fast, like a lightning bolt, and can mostly guarantee an instant win.

 **Dai Ryujin Zan** ( _Great Dragon God Slash_ ): With his Ryujinmaru, Ryujin Gaim executes his signature Rider Slash which creates a giant energy blade that extends from his sword to deal massive damage. It is likely a variant for this finisher where he uses the DJ Gun Taiken Mode to execute the attack. It is more powerful than his **Kachidoki Dai Musou Zan** ( _Triumphant Great Peerless Slash_ ).

 **Dai Ryujin Hou** ( _Great Dragon God Cannon_ ): Using the DJ Gun's (Fruit) Charge, Ryujin Gaim can execute his signature Rider Shooting finisher which fires a burst of energy that is shaped like a dragon.

* * *

 **KRC:** Gaim appears on the battlefield, and what a dramatic entry, if I do say so myself. When I originally planned for Nagata to achieve his next Arms upgrade, the original idea was to standardize with it with the other Sovereign Lockseeds and give him Qinglong Arms. However, as you all know, the Sovereign Lockseeds were all based on the Kachidoki Lockseed's design, with just color swapping and giving each a unique surface image. Well, if I had given Nagata Qinglong Arms, it wouldn't change him very much. It would be a color-swapped Kachidoki Arms with some aesthetic changes. That's just it. So, yeah, there was also going to be a final showdown with Nise but since Nise got killed off in chapter 12 of Season 5, that idea was also scrapped. The end result: Ryujin Arms. It's basically like what happens when the Qinglong Lockseed is skipped but the power manifests in the form of the Ryujin Key which causes Gaim to cast off his Kachidoki Armor and giving him the Chinese equivalent of Kiwami Arms. It has the same powers and also has the original Qinglong Arms' ability to fly and generate electricity. I consider this a good way to end the Ryujin Arc before we go onto the second story arc of Season 6.

Also, I based the design of Ryujin Gaim on the Ryuubi Gundam from the BB Senshi Sangokuden: Brave Battle Warriors anime. It's an SD Gundam Series which is also where I got the ideas for the Seal of Heaven and the Sovereign Arms as a whole for the Armored War Gods Saga series. Sure each episode was short with less than 15 minutes each, but it has given me the ideas and inspiration for the Armored War Gods Saga to make the story interesting and exciting at the same time as well. Initially, a cape was incorporated into the design. However, after seeing Shinken Red's badass longcoat (Super/Hyper Samurai Mode), and also Ghost Mugen Damashii as well as Wizard Infinity Style I decided to switch the cape for the longcoat and I have to say it's a nice touch if I do say so myself like I said before. Besides, I don't want Ryujin Arms to be a clone version of Kiwami Arms anyway because longcoats are way more fashionable and awesome than capes. Also, Nagata has always been about longcoats all the time and not wearing capes at all.

There were actually more weapons I included in the original draft, but I decided to leave them out for later. You don't reveal everything a new form can do in its debut appearance. You gradually show what it can do.

Also, **[DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]** Translates to: **"Great Dragon King! Azure Dragon of the Sky, Rise to the Throne!"** in case any of you were wondering.

Now on the subject of Braco and his transformations. I may have based them around the concept of the Final Boss in JRPG's that seem to have multiple forms.

First, we have Braco's Rinrinshi and Beastman forms. Pretty standard if you ask me.

After he absorbed his comrades' Ki, we can call his next incarnation his **Empowered Form**.

Then he turned into his **Chimera Empowered Form** , which possesses physical aspects derived from his comrades. This, unfortunately, didn't last very long.

Finally, his **Chimera Beast** form, which is a result of him overloading on power and his body needing to change in order to contain it.

 **TFP:** Nagata's evolved once again and now he's the final Sovereign, completing the circle of four. They've defeated the Five Venom Fists, but the RinJyuKen Akugata is far from defeated. There is also the Armored War Devils to deal with as well. All that has happened is that the war with both of these factions has entered another stage. No one is going to rest on their laurels while this new power Nagata holds rests in Shoku's hands.

 **BL92:** Looks like Nagata had gotten himself an upgrade and a new final form to face Braco. To all readers who were expecting to see Nagata's Qinglong Arms in Season 5, Chrome decided to change the idea, including its debut appearance and give Nagata the Final Arms instead in Season 6 for this chapter. He even renamed the Qinglong Arms to Ryujin Arms with some new improvements to make it awesome. Correction, the new and improved Ryujin Arms will be mega awesome that it'll give Nagata the edge he needed for a mega win against both the RinJyuKen and the Armored War Devils in the future, but mainly against the Big Bad and the head honcho of the RinJyuKen for a super mega win real soon. At first, I was a little disappointed that Chrome made that decision (IMPO) but I quickly got over it and get to see the awesomeness of Nagata's new Ryujin Arms in action and decided it's a good thing so I decided to just roll with it. The RinJyuKen and Armored War Devils better watch out because Nagata's power has increased to the 11th power and he will give them the _shock_ to remember.

* * *

"Looks like all of them have awakened," Chosen said as he watched the cheering warriors before his jovial smile turned into a grim frown. "Now begins the next chapter in the Legend of the Armored War Gods."

"And they're going to need to be prepared for the next stage," said Brusa Li gravely as he stood next to Chosen.

"Brusa-chan, what brings you out of your cave of solitude?" Chosen asked curiously.

"I wanted to see the new Sovereigns for myself," Brusa Li answered.

"So what's your verdict? What do you think of these hunky young men?"

Brusa Li frowned. "They're not ready."

Chosen smile faded as he turned serious. "They may not have a choice in the matter. We can only pray and hope that they will be ready when the day comes."

Brusa Li turned his gaze towards the now tranquil battlefield, the grim frown never leaving his face.

"Savor your victory, Armored War Gods. Things are about to get _dark_ ," he warned. He could feel it. He knew something was coming and the fate of the world would soon depend on these powerful young men.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #8A: GROWING ARSENAL**

Nagata was standing in his office with the SengokuDriver on. With him was Iori and on his desk was a collection of different Lockseeds.

"Hey, Iori. Are you sure about this?" asked Nagata.

"Not 100 percent sure but your Ryujin Arms, from what we have seen, allows you to summon the weapons of the Arms you've ever accessed. So, I theorize that if you access other Arms, their weapons will be added to your Ryujin Arms' arsenal," Iori answered.

"Well, I guess there's no harm in trying new things, right?" Nagata grinned as he began to try out different Lockseeds, starting with Iori's own personal set.

 **[BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]**

Gaim was in Budou Arms, which looked odd on him since the purple armor slightly clashed with his blue bodysuit. He twirled the Budou Ryuhou around.

"I've never been much of a gunman, but I have to say this looks good on me," Gaim remarked.

"Alright, next," Iori prompted.

 **[KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!]**

Gaim was clad in Kiwi Arms and holding the Kiwi Gekirin. He did a few practice swings, getting used to the weapons.

"Not bad. I can see why you like these things," stated Gaim.

 **[PITAYA ARMS! RYUJIN, HOU! HOH! HOH! HOH!]**

Gaim stumbled a bit as the Pitaya Ryujin Hou appeared in his hands. He regained his balance as he held the heavy cannon.

"Man, Iori. How do you fight with this thing?" Gaim asked.

"I only use it for long ranged combat. It's worthless in close combat," answered Iori.

"Yeah, I can see why."

 **[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]**

As Matsubokkuri Lockseeds were C-Class Lockseeds, they were pretty common. While low amongst the ranking of most Lockseeds, they did provide armor. Gaim now stood in the same armor as Kurokage's default form and wielding the Kagematsu. While it appeared sturdy, the armor was pretty light.

"You could probably use the spear as a throwing weapon," suggested Iori.

"That's true," agreed Gaim.

 **[DONGURI ARMS! NEVER GIVE UP!]**

Brown on blue didn't look so good but Gaim tried the Donguri Arms and swung the Donkachi for a bit. He could get used to this.

"Not bad, for a small mallet," Gaim commented.

Nagata continued to go through the Lockseeds Iori had brought for him.

 **[KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!]**

"My mom would definitely like this one," said Gaim as he did a few practice punches.

"Is she a boxer?" Iori asked.

"I think she used to do it during high school," Gaim answered.

 **[BANANA ARMS! KNIGHT OF SPEAR!]**

"If I ever go to rescue princesses, I know what I'm wearing," Gaim quipped.

"And that's all of them," Iori noted as Nagata finished going through every single Lockseed.

"Seriously, how come we've got so many Lockseeds?" asked Nagata.

"The usual way. I go into Helheim every so often to practice my marksmanship and pick up some Lockseeds while I'm there. It's just luck that I found a few that could be useful." There were a lot of Himawari Lockseeds among the ones he collected but they could prove useful some other time.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #8B: REDECO**

"Hey, Iori," started Nagata.

"Yes, Nagata?" Iori replied.

"I saw your new Ryugen-Yomi form. Really cool, but just one point of criticism."

"What's that?"

"It's just a red redeco of your Budou Arms with your Kiwi Arms' helmet."

"It is!?" Iori gasped.

"Wait, you seriously don't know what it looks like?" Nagata asked.

"It's not like I transform to admire myself in the mirror," Iori remarked. "I mean, who does that, am I right?"

"...Right...Who transforms just to look at themselves in the mirror?" Nagata agreed as he chuckled awkwardly.

 **Earlier...**

Ryujin Gaim was standing in front of a full-length mirror, posing.

"Ah, yeah! Now this has got to be the best Final Form design ever! Even has a sweet longcoat!" Ryujin Gaim admired himself as he flexed his muscles. "I look so awesome! I am the _Musou Seiryuoh!_ "

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI #8C: BRUSA LI'S WISDOM**

"Brusa-sennin! Brusa-sennin!" Kada yelled cheerfully as he ran towards the sage. He slid in front of him before kneeling down before him. "The techniques you have taught me, and your guiding wisdom, have been a huge boon to me! Please, teach me more of your wisdom!"

" _If you look to the stars, you will see the butt of cats as they rain down from the Heavens_ ," Brusa Li spoke.

"...I'm sorry, what?" Kada was confused.

" _If you look through a hole in the wall, you will see your future bride, or you may see an early grave_."

"...Uh-huh," Kada nodded.

" _Fighting is foolish, food-fighting is wasteful, but an eating contest is even more wasteful as you waste the food by expelling it from your mouth. Still, it is very fun to watch._ "

There was a pause from Kada before he spoke again.

"...Brusa-sennin, have you been inhaling the herbs again?"

"Where am I? Who are you? Where's my soup?" Brusa Li asked in confusion.

Kada facepalmed and sighed.

 **Remember kids, only dopes takes dope!**

 **Don't do drugs! EVER!**

 **This has been an Anti-Drug Message from yours truly.**

 _* Now this omake was inspired by Emgo's Transformers Review Skits, specifically the ones with '_ _ **Titans Return Alpha Trion**_ _'._


	10. The Harvest Festival

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

As Nagata enjoyed his reunion with his friends, his body began to glow before he suddenly vanished from sight, much to their surprise.

"Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi uttered in confusion.

"Where did he go?" Kanu questioned in shock.

"He vanished!" Chouhi exclaimed.

"What in Heaven's name just happened?" demanded Bacho.

"We better head back to the castle," Karasu urged worriedly.

"Let's go," Iori agreed.

Meanwhile, back at the castle, specifically in Nagata's room, the light which had enveloped the room died down and Komei gasped when Nagata's eyes opened. Involuntarily, she cried tears of joy.

"It worked," Kada said as he wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved that the technique taught to him by Brusa-sennin had succeeded.

"Hawawawawa...Nagata-sama, you're awake..." Komei wept with tears of joy and she wiped them away with her sleeves. Nagata was alive! Her beloved lord was alive!

"He's awake," Kaku let out in relief. Her heart was still pounding in her chest but she was slowly beginning to calm down.

"It's a miracle," smiled Totaku.

"Baka-niichan," uttered Chinkyuu with a relieved smile.

"Nagata-sama..." Ryofu spoke softly with a sweet smile of relief as well and tears of joy.

Riri just beamed happily. "Nagata-niichan..." She loved him like she loved everyone else. It used to be just her and her mommy until Iori came into their lives. She had a daddy when they married. When they came to Shoku, Riri's family grew as she got big sisters and a new big brother as well. When Nagata was hurt, she didn't know what to do. She was scared to lose him, but now he was back.

"You guys..." Nagata spoke softly as he slowly sat up to see them all looking at him with tears of joy and expressions of relief. He must've scared them terribly when he got hurt by Braco.

"How are you feeling?" Kada asked.

"I had a really weird dream and you were all in it," he confessed as he looked at each and every one of them. He remembered it all vividly. He could recollect every moment, starting from his meeting with Chosen, then fighting a mental representation of his regrets, before finally facing the Seal of Heaven to prove his worth. He also remembered beating Braco and saving everyone.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 9: The Harvest Festival**

* * *

It was after the battle when everyone returned back to the castle. Much to their surprise, they found Nagata still lying in bed. That just wasn't possible! They had just witnessed him defeat Braco! Just what was going on?

Kada, Iori, and Karasu were seated in the living room. The two Riders wanted to know what was going on, and Kada was the only one who could provide answers. At least, they hoped he could. He was Nagata's doctor and the one who spent the most time looking after him.

"And you're telling me Gaim-sama did all that?" Kada asked.

"Yes, he did," Iori confirmed.

"But you said he never left his bed. Are you _sure_ about that?" Karasu asked Kada.

"Yes," Kada confirmed. "We were with him the entire time. In fact, he woke up just before you came back."

"So how was it that we saw him at the battle?" Karasu demanded. It just didn't make sense. It wasn't possible for someone to be in two places at once.

"Astral projection," Iori suggested. "It must be some form of astral projection. His body was in bed but his soul must've traveled to the battlefield to help us when he sensed we were in danger."

"Sounds ridiculous," Karasu retorted. She had seen some weird things, but outer body experiences seemed way outside the realm of possibilities.

"We use fruit-themed padlocks that summon armor and transform into Kamen Riders in order to battle against evil martial arts zombies," countered Iori in a flat tone.

"OK, so our lives are ridiculous already," Karasu conceded. "But I still don't understand how this was possible."

"We can only assume the Seal of Heaven was involved, just like before. For now, let's just be grateful we survived and won the day."

"I'm just grateful Naga-kun's woken up," replied Karasu.

* * *

Chouhi was telling everyone who had stayed in the castle for their own safety about the battle in her own way. She didn't describe very well, using only sound effects to get her point across, but her friends knew her well enough to translate what she had experienced.

No doubt, the soldiers who had witnessed Gaim's victory also had stories to share with their families as well. They may exaggerate their stories a little, but the fact remained that Gaim had ascended, granting them a miraculous victory.

"And it was so awesome! Nagata-niichan was like 'Swish!' 'Swish!' 'Smash!' and then 'Bang!'" Chouhi described excitedly. She always admired her big brother Nagata and thought his armor was cool. Each time she saw a new form of it, she couldn't help but be amazed. This time, he was definitely amazing and she couldn't even imagine him being even more awesome than he already was.

"It was just like the prophecy foretold. I wish I could've seen that." Komei's eyes sparkled.

"Yeah, it's like Rinrin said. It was an awesome sight," Bacho affirmed. The power Nagata displayed, especially at the very end, was just so awe inspiring. She blushed a bit as she realized how much she admired him. He was always so full of surprises.

"It was the most badass thing we ever saw. He just walked right into the battlefield, confident and without fear," Batai described in awe. Their own lord had just shown them he was one of the most, if not the most, powerful warrior of their land to date.

"Do you think once Nagata-sama fully recovers he could show me his new armor?" Komei asked hopefully. She wanted to add it into her journal and she needed to see it with her own eyes. Her friends tried their best to describe its appearance, but Chouhi could only remember its power while everyone else would just exaggerate his features. She needed an accurate description.

"You know he would if you give him a cute smile. You know he's a sucker for cute girls," Chou'un teased. Komei blushed. He sometimes complimented on her appearance, calling her cute and adorable. She was still growing and someday may gain curves like the older girls. For now, she was satisfied with being his cute little strategist.

Initially, Komei could only react in disbelief when she heard that Nagata had defeated Braco, even though he was in bed the whole time. However, her friends wouldn't lie to her and while their claims sounded unbelievable, everyone had seen the same thing. She just had to concede that this was one of the strange possibilities that existed in this world.

* * *

"Aneue, is it really necessary for us to be dressed like this while we look after Nagata-sama?" Kanu asked, blushing, as she was dressed as a maid. She was not the only one. Also dressed as maids were Ryuubi and Karasu. The three girls looked quite lovely, with alluring curves that filled out their outfits nicely. Any man, or woman, with a maid fetish would be immediately taken in, noses bleeding at the sight of such beautiful maids.

"I was told by Sei that a man who's recovering feels better when surrounded by pretty maids," Ryuubi insisted. According to Chou'un, men loved to see women dress up as maids. Nagata was no exception. She confirmed it by telling Ryuubi of how he had complimented on their appearance when they worked as waitresses to earn traveling money.

Kanu remembered when she worked as a waitress and how Nagata complimented her appearance in the uniform. At first, she just felt embarrassed since the uniform made her look like a weak girl instead of the strong warrior she had trained hard to become. Eventually, just hearing Nagata call her 'pretty' or 'beautiful' would be the best moments of her day.

"I think she has the right idea," Karasu begrudgingly agreed. While she would never put on a servant's garments, she had to admit that the maid outfit really looked good on her. She couldn't wait for Nagata to call her cute. She hoped he appreciated her efforts as she took care of him. Besides, she could use this as her chance as training for when they were married.

"So, let's work together to look after him, OK?" Ryuubi punctuated with a wink. When she was made an officer of the Shoku Faction, it was the happiest day of her life. To serve her idol Gaim-sama in an official capacity was her dream come true. He even said she had the potential to be someone great, so she worked hard to not disappoint him.

Ryofu joined them, also wearing a maid outfit. When she heard what Ryuubi was planning, she immediately grabbed a spare uniform and put it on. If Nagata called her cute, it would be so worth it. She also liked the black and white color scheme. The maid-like waitress uniform she had put on before had been a very bright yellow. Monochrome suited her best.

* * *

"Is all this really necessary?" Nagata asked as Kada was examining his Ki. They were both in the former's room. Nagata was topless and had his back turned to Kada as the doctor touched his back.

"Of course. We need to find out what happened to you," answered Kada.

"But I feel fine."

"You were in two places at once, and we need to find out how you did it. The ability to project your soul onto another location and maintain a corporeal form is a very advanced technique," Kada told him.

"So it wasn't a dream? I really did defeat Braco?"

"According to everyone who witnessed it, you just appeared out of nowhere, transformed into a new form, and destroyed him," Kada confirmed.

"Well with that many witnesses, it'll be impossible to dismiss."

"Are you sure you were never trained in the use of Ki?" Kada pressed.

"Before I came to this world, Ki was just something I read about in books and heard in stories," Nagata answered as he put his shirt back on.

"Well, then perhaps the Seal of Heaven has changed you in ways you never knew," Kada hypothesized.

"Yeah, maybe, but it saved my life and gave me a way to help my friends, so I'm grateful. I also want to thank you for looking after me while I was out," Nagata said.

"I'm a doctor. It's my job. Well, it looks like there's nothing wrong with you, but I recommend you still take your rest and medicine to restore you to full health."

"Alright, Kada-sensei."

Kada stepped out of the room, leaving Nagata to his thoughts. He looked down at his hands and recalled the power he possessed when he accessed Ryujin Arms. It was unlike anything else he had ever felt. Was this the power of the Sovereigns that Mitsuki, Masataka, and Hideyoshi had in their possession? Such power was incredible.

He just hoped he could handle it.

Suddenly, Nagata's door burst open as several voices yelled at once.

"Nagata-sama!"

"Naga-kun!"

One was particularly loud.

"ONII-CHAN!"

Chouhi launched herself at Nagata, not caring that he was in bed. Nagata ended up grunting out as Chouhi landed on his stomach, straddling him.

"Onii-chan!" Chouhi beamed.

"Rinrin, get off him! He still needs his rest!" Kanu scolded.

"She's right, Rinrin. You're pretty heavy," said Nagata. Chouhi quickly scrambled off him and he let out a breath of relief. He didn't need Chouhi crushing his stomach after he just woke up from a coma.

Nagata tried to sit up but found himself unable to. Fortunately, Kanu was there as she helped him to sit up, placing a pillow against his back so he could support himself comfortably on the headboard. Chouhi and Kanu were there, along with Ryuubi, Ryofu, and Karasu. He noticed that, with the exception of Chouhi, the girls were dressed in matching maid outfits.

"Why are you all dressed like that?" Nagata asked, referring to the maid outfits the girls were wearing.

"We wanted to dress appropriately while taking care of you, Nagata-sama," Ryuubi answered.

"We don't look weird, do we?" Karasu asked with a blush.

Nagata shook his head and gave them a bright smile that caused them to blush as he said, "No, it's not weird. You all look pretty cute dressed like that." Those words alone, so sincere, was enough to make the girls all blush further. Coming from him, that was the best compliment.

"How are you feeling right now?" Karasu asked.

"I'm fine now," Nagata said. "I had a dream, and you were all in it."

"You dreamt about us?" Chouhi asked.

"What was your dream about, Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked.

"I was at my lowest. I saw my worst failure being played out in front of me and I was forced to confront my inner darkness. I heard your voices and I was able to fight back," he described. "If it wasn't for you all, I don't think I would've gotten out of that coma."

Those words touched the girls' hearts. The tender moment was ruined when Nagata's stomach growled.

"Ah, Kada-sensei said you were hungry! I should go and get you something to eat!" Ryuubi said before she rushed out of the room.

"I'll make you something delicious as well, Naga-kun!" added Karasu as she followed Ryuubi out.

"Wait, you'll need someone to taste test what you make for Onii-chan!" called Chouhi as she went to catch up with the rosette and the black-haired girl.

"It's never a dull moment here, is it?" Nagata asked as Kanu and Ryofu remained.

"You just rest now, Nagata-sama," said Kanu as she gently brushed his hair and kissed his forehead. Ryofu approached Nagata as well, confusing Kanu. "Ren?"

Ryofu smiled and gave Nagata a gentle peck on the lips

"Good morning. And welcome back," Ryofu said to Nagata with a cute smile.

"I'm glad to be back," he smiled back.

* * *

Shortly after the battle with the Venom Fists, Mitsuki had returned to Sou Gi to deliver his report. He asked for an audience with Sousou the moment he landed on the palace's doorstep.

Mitsuki was very close to the ruler of Sou Gi. So naturally, he would ask if they could have a game of chess and chat during the game. Naturally, Sousou accepted. A strategic game of chess always kept the mind sharp, and decent company to chat about interesting topics with was always a nice addition. That was why a casual game of chess was often so enjoyable.

As moves were played on the chessboard, Mitsuki delivered his report. Sousou had questions and he would answer, elaborating details clearly and without omitting anything. He wouldn't lie to her, certainly.

He also had his own opinions on the matter, which she listened to and considered.

"So, the Blue King has also gained the power of the Sovereigns from the Seal of Heaven and he's the Azure Dragon. It's just as expected." Sousou wasn't surprised. It didn't take a genius to guess why Nagata was worthy of the Azure Dragon's power. Just like Mitsuki, Hideyoshi, and Masataka, he had earned it through both his deeds and the strength of character.

"Of course, his power seems greater than the overall strength of myself, Zangetsu and Gridon combined," added Mitsuki.

"So, among you four, he is the strongest," Sousou concluded. "You also mentioned Ryugen gaining access to a new form."

"Yes, Braco claims that Ryugen's power came from the same source as Rinki," Mitsuki replied.

"And what do you think?" Sousou asked.

"It's dark, but not evil. There's fury fueling it, but nothing misguided," Mitsuki concluded. He had seen Iori spend time with his family, and knew that gaining such power was a necessary risk to protect something so precious.

"So, Shoku's Blue King has gained an incredible new power, and the Demon Dragon isn't too far behind," Sousou noted.

"So what will we do?" Mitsuki asked.

Sousou answered, "We'll keep an eye on them. We can no longer afford to underestimate Shoku and its Armored War Gods."

Mitsuki made his final move, concluding both the game and their conversation. "Checkmate."

Bidding Sousou farewell, he left her chamber. While he seemed calm, his fists were clenched as he smiled. Shibai was waiting for him and she escorted him from Sousou's chamber.

She asked him, "Baron-sama, now that Gaim has gained the power of the Azure Dragon, what do you plan to do?"

"For now, we do nothing but focus on our enemies. Oda's power will be useful to bring them down," Mitsuki answered.

"And what about after our enemies have been dealt with?" Shibai inquired, though she knew the answer to that question already when she saw his smile.

"Once our enemies have been dealt with, Oda and I will settle things once and for all," he answered. His rival had become stronger. That was good news. He was now a worthy challenge. It just meant Mitsuki would need to get stronger as well. He looked forward to the day when they finally clashed.

Before he left to return to Sousou, he recalled what the Shoku Faction soldiers were now calling Nagata.

Mitsuki smirked. " _Musou Seiryuoh_ (Peerless Azure Dragon King), huh? A good title, Oda. I hope you can live up to it."

* * *

Sitting on the terrace with Sonken, Masataka had just finished his own report after returning to Son Go's palace. He left no details out and explained everything clearly to Sonken.

"'Musou Seiryuoh'?" Sonken asked.

"That's what everyone is starting to call him now," Masataka confirmed. "It has a nice ring to it, and I have to admit that he lives up to the title since I witnessed his performance in the battle."

Sonken smiled, an expression of relief on her face. "I'm happy to hear that one of our allies is doing well, and I'm glad that you came home safely."

Masataka returned, "You have Oda-kun to thank for that. If he hadn't arrived when he did, I don't think I would be here with you. By the way, how is Shuyu-dono doing?"

Sonken's smile turned into a frown as she shook her head. "Not well, I'm afraid."

"You know, there is going to be a Harvest Festival being held in Touka Village very soon. Perhaps we could all go there, and bring Shuyu-dono along. It may cheer her up."

"That's a good idea, but we would need to convince her to go. If she's not overdrinking, she's overworking," Sonken replied. Masataka placed a comforting hand on Sonken's.

Masataka reassured, "Let me take care of Shuyu-dono. I'm sure I can convince her to leave her work to come join us at the festival. After all, all work and no play make for a pretty dull life."

"Thank you, Masataka-kun," Sonken smiled before they shared a kiss. While he failed to protect Sonsaku, he would still help Sonken to move forward and make sure Son Go would be written in the history books as one of the greatest kingdoms of this age. A strong kingdom like theirs still needed allies, though, and Masataka saw potential in Shoku. Now Nagata had become more powerful and relations between their kingdoms were stronger than ever.

Standing nearby, keeping watch with Kannei, Shuutai was sporting a new white bow ribbon. Masataka had given it to her as a sign of his appreciation. She smiled brightly as she performed her duty, knowing that her efforts were appreciated.

* * *

In Kosonsan's mansion, Kenshin and Hideyoshi were sitting in Kenshin's room. Hideyoshi was telling him all about his latest adventure. To say that Kenshin was envious would be an understatement.

"I can't believe I missed such an awesome battle!" shouted Kenshin as he brought his fist down on the table.

"It was pretty intense," Hideyoshi admitted.

Kenshin complained, "Damn it! I wanted to fight the Venom Fists too!"

"And I thought you'd be more upset that you couldn't see Yue-hime," Hideyoshi said dryly.

Kenshin carefully responded with some embarrassment, "Well, yeah. Sure I miss her too, but she's in good hands, right?"

"Yes, she is," Hideyoshi nodded. When he saw Totaku, she was so happy. She may not be a noble or royalty anymore, but she enjoyed her life as a common maid.

"Well, as long as she's happy, I'm happy," Kenshin smiled. "So, did you kick major butt on my behalf?"

"Let's just say I used one of your favorite moves: taunting," Hideyoshi smiled back proudly. Kenshin shared his pride as well.

"I knew I could teach you a thing or two!" Kenshin punched Hideyoshi's arm playfully. "We should celebrate with a drink!"

"Aren't you and Miyabi banned from every tavern here?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean we can't send someone else to buy drinks."

The door to Kenshin's room opened and a maid came in with drinks. "Would you both like some tea?"

Kenshin and Hideyoshi gaped as they saw Totaku standing in the doorway with a tray that held two cups and a pot of tea.

"Yue-hime..." Hideyoshi uttered in disbelief as Totaku stepped over and placed the tray down so she could pour the tea into the cups.

"Yue-sama, what are you doing here?" Kenshin asked.

Totaku beamed adorably at the Dynamic Duo. "I missed you, so I decided to come here and work for Kosonsan-dono so I could be close to you."

Hideyoshi blushed as he rubbed the back of his head and readjusted his glasses. This was a first for him. He had never had a girl travel across the country just to be with him.

"Wait, how did you even get here?" Kenshin asked.

"Iori-sama flew me over here," Totaku answered. She actually used her charm against the Demon Dragon and he just folded. He tried to resist, but in the end she got her way.

"And what about Ei?" Hideyoshi asked worriedly. The bespectacled verdette was likely to worry herself to death when she found out Totaku was here and no longer staying in Nagata's castle.

"Don't worry about her. She knows I came here and I got permission to come here," said Totaku.

"Yue-hime..." Hideyoshi smiled softly as Totaku caressed his face before she leaned in to give him a kiss.

Kenshin smiled as he watched his best friend and the maid share a kiss. It was such a beautiful sight. Hideyoshi finally got his princess like Mario.

"So, did anything interesting happen here while Kosonsan and I were away?" Hideyoshi asked Kenshin before taking a sip of tea.

"Miyabi and I had sex," Kenshin answered casually. Almost immediately, Hideyoshi dropped his cup and did a spit take while Totaku gasped and covered her mouth.

Hideyoshi coughed before he exclaimed, "Wait, wait, wait, _**WHAT!?**_ You and Miyabi!? You both had sex!?"

"Oh my!" Totaku cried as her cheeks flushed. "I had no idea you two were so intimate with each other already."

Kenshin cocked an eyebrow. "What's the big deal? It's just sex."

"What do you mean 'it's just sex'?" Hideyoshi demanded.

"Miyabi and I were bored one day, and we couldn't get anything to drink besides water and tea because of Kosonsan's ban. We weren't in the mood to spar either. At some point I mentioned that I was a virgin and Miyabi offered to help me with my first sexual experience," Kenshin explained.

Hideyoshi and Totaku just gaped at him. His casual admittance towards losing his virginity was just staggering.

"Why are you both looking at me like that?"

"...You had sex...because you were _bored_?" Hideyoshi said in disbelief.

Totaku decided to break the silence as she said, "...So, how was it?" Hideyoshi looked back and forth at Totaku and Kenshin.

"It was the best thing ever, and then we did it again," Kenshin grinned. "And _again_."

Hideyoshi grimaced, "Too much information."

* * *

Back in her room, Kosonsan praised herself for her genius.

"There's no way those two are going to leave me now," Kosonsan smiled proudly. By having Totaku here, there was no way her Armored War Gods would leave. It was perfect. Manipulative, but perfect. Not only did she have two Armored War Gods working for her, but one of them was gifted with the power of one of the Four Sovereigns. With them serving her, she would no longer be ignored, overlooked or forgotten.

"Excuse me," Sasuke Takeda spoke as he entered her room. "I was told to come here."

"Who are you?" Kosonsan asked the stranger.

"I'm the musician you hired for your celebration tonight," Sasuke clarified.

"Ah, it's you!" Kosonsan stood up and bowed, welcoming him. "I do apologize! It's just I've been very busy!"

"Well, from what I've heard you work very hard to run your city smoothly. Your city is lucky to have you," he complimented.

Kosonsan blushed from the compliment. "Thank you."

"Also, I heard you were in need of Armored War Gods," he added.

"Excuse me?" Kosonsan asked and she got her answer as he took out his GenesisDriver to show her what he meant. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You're..."

"We have a lot to talk about," Sasuke said with an enigmatic smile.

* * *

Haru and Ensho lay under the covers, completely spent after another session of lovemaking. As Ensho cuddled with her fiancé, Haru put his arm around her and smiled.

"That was amazing..." purred Ensho as she rubbed his muscular chest lazily. "Does it always get better each time?"

"Practice makes perfect, babe," he replied as he gently ran his hair through her hair. Ensho had a lot of hair, very big blonde hair, but Haru didn't mind. He liked it, as much as he loved her. To be honest, he never thought he would fall in love with a woman like Ensho. She wasn't really his type, but she grew on him and they got to know each other.

To be honest, he never thought he would fall in love with a woman like Ensho. She wasn't really his type, but she grew on him as they got to know each other.

He wasn't aware that Ensho originally wanted to marry him for her own ambition. With an Armored War God on her side and as her husband, she would receive so many benefits. She would have a mighty warrior to serve her at her command and elevate the name of the En Clan. She tried seducing him too, thinking he wouldn't be able to resist. However, he just declined her until they confessed their feelings.

Falling in love had not been part of the plan, but she was glad she did. She was happier now more than she could ever be with wealth or status.

Haru wasn't the type to have sex for the sake of pleasure. He wanted his first time to be special, with someone he loved. When he fell in love with Ensho and she felt the same way, well things just went from there and they made love for the first time. That was probably the most magical moment for Ensho as she had been a virgin up until then, just like him.

"I wish I could've seen you destroy your enemies."

"Yeah, you really missed an awesome battle."

"Well, I was busy defending Touka Village for you," she reminded. "I'm glad we managed to survive that battle."

"I don't think any of us would've survived if Nagata hadn't come up to the field and gone all Super Saiyan on Braco."

Ensho didn't understand the 'Super Saiyan' reference, but perhaps her beloved meant that Nagata had awakened a power far superior to anything she had ever seen. She had seen him fight during the Siege of Korou Fortress and back then his power had been phenomenal.

While she hadn't exactly done much in the last battle, besides bark orders while she took cover, Ensho did manage to catch a peek of Ryujin Gaim from afar. She witnessed the miracle with a gaping mouth as Gaim gained an even greater power than before. Well, with what was coming in the future, he was going to need all the power he could get.

But something Haru said bothered her. If Nagata hadn't come to save the day, her fiancé might've died.

What would she have done if Haru had died?

She didn't think she would be able to live without him after all the happiness he had given her.

But he was a warrior, and going into battle was his job.

It was the time she made a decision.

"Haru-sama, we've known each other for a very long time, haven't we?" Ensho asked.

"Well, yeah," Haru confessed.

"Everyone sees us as a couple. Perhaps we should make it official," she suggested.

"You mean...?" Haru's eyes widened.

"Let's get married. I'll have preparations made and invite our allies. It will be a grand occasion when we become husband and wife," Ensho told him.

Haru was surprised, but then again he wasn't against the idea either. He loved Ensho, he really did, but was he ready for marriage?

Looking into Ensho's eyes, he saw that she really wanted this. And he did want to spend the rest of his life with her.

"Sure, let's get married," he agreed. Ensho squealed and kissed him deeply.

"Oh, Haru-sama! I promise our wedding will be the very best!"

"The wedding would be great, but I'm looking forward to the marriage," Haru smiled as he caressed her cheek and kissed her again. Moving on top of him, Ensho felt something hard poke against her inner thigh and she smiled.

"Looks like your 'little soldier' is standing at attention. Perhaps he's ready for round two," smiled Ensho before she slipped into the covers.

"Reiha-CHAN!?" Haru bucked his hips as he felt a warm and moist yet pleasurable sensation before he relaxed in bed. "Oh, yeah. That's it Reiha-chan," he moaned.

Ganryo, with a deep red blush on her face, was spying on the couple through the door crack. Oh, she would be punished if she got caught, but she just couldn't help herself. She imagined herself participating as well but made sure to control herself.

* * *

Enjutsu was upset and disappointed when she heard the news. A grand battle that could have elevated her status and she wasn't even invited. It was so unfair and now her cousin would gloat about surviving such a battle. It made her so jealous.

Ensho was probably spreading tall tales about how courageous she was on the battlefield. Yeah, like Ensho could ever be brave. She was a coward, something Enjutsu wasn't afraid to point out whenever they visited each other.

Still, Enjutsu had acquired something herself so she at least had something to feel good about and would no longer be left out.

Enjutsu smiled to her visitor and asked, "What did you say your name was again?"

Sadako Ryoma answered with a smirk, "Call me **The Duchess**."

* * *

In the days that followed, Nagata rested to regain his strength. The girls insisted on dressing up and acting as his personal maids. He actually enjoyed the attention as they cared for him until he fully recovered. Komei even made him a special beverage to help him restore his strength. Fortunately, it wasn't anything like the horrible concoction they made to cure Kashin of her curse. It didn't taste very good, but it went down easy as he forced himself to drink it. She did work hard to make it for him. He was getting better already as he felt his strength returning.

He also received gifts from the villagers, which included notes wishing him to get well. He appreciated the gifts which ranged from flowers, treats, and even drawings made by Riri, Rinrin, and the village children.

In the short time since he started taking the beverage, along with the tender loving care he got from his squad of 'personal maids', Nagata was able to get out of bed. As much as he enjoyed the attention he got, he wasn't going to spend the rest of his days in bed, being taken care of by lovely maids. It just wasn't his style. He needed to move around and get back in shape.

And he decided to go visit the cemetery.

Many soldiers that fell in battle were buried here. They were honored for their sacrifice. In the battle against Braco's forces, many brave men fell and those that belonged to Shoku were buried here. It was their final resting place, and this place was sacred because of the brave souls that now inhabit it.

Standing in the graveyard, Nagata let out a sigh before he spoke, "You all died in the name of your kingdom. You all gave your lives to protect your home. For that, I thank you. You're the real heroes here, not me."

Dying in battle, especially for a good cause, was a huge honor. It showed how selfless they were, how courageous they were, and how much they loved the land in order to protect it from threats. The soldiers did not have superpowers or any kind of divine enhancements. No, they only had their weapons and their determination. Yet, they still fought against the odds, until the very end. Even if there was an absolute chance of death, they still fought to the end.

"Naga-kun..." Karasu spoke softly, announcing her presence as she walked up the path behind him.

"Oh, you found me, Kara-chan," Nagata realized.

"I followed you," she clarified. "What are you doing out here? You should be resting in bed."

Nagata ignored the admonishment and looked back to the graves. "Just here to pay my respects. Do you think if I had just been at the battle from the beginning, none of them would have died?"

"I don't think your presence would make much of a difference. These soldiers would still lay down their lives to protect Shoku. Perhaps the damage would've been lesser, but you can't worry yourself to death over what-ifs," she told him.

"I know. I know I can't save everyone. But I wish I could."

"They might call you a god, but you're still just a man."

"I just wish I could be a better leader and protect everyone."

"You know, if we were back home you wouldn't have to worry about this kind of thing. Now come on. Let's get you back to bed. You need your rest. Remember, you have a Harvest Festival to prepare for."

"Could we stay a bit longer? I still want to pay my respects," he informed her.

"Alright, we'll stay, but only because you asked nicely."

"Thanks, Kara-chan."

"That's what family is for?"

* * *

Weeks passed since the battle with Braco's forces. There was a period of mourning for the brave souls who had given their lives in order to prevent the spread of evil. They would always be remembered for their sacrifice and their deaths would not be in vain.

Finally, after weeks of preparation, it was time for the Harvest Festival.

The Chou Sisters came to Shoku to perform a concert at Shoku's Harvest Festival. They had a stage set up and seats for everyone who wanted to watch. Sitting in the front row were special guests composed of the leaders and officers of the Anti-RinJyuKen Alliance. Ensho was just happy to be included. She couldn't stop bragging about how her beloved Armored War God had helped save everyone. Well, he did play a small part, but this was a celebration for Nagata Oda and the rest of the Armored War Gods too.

Riri was sitting in her daddy's lap as Kochu and he held hands. His brother also came with Shamoke and the Nanban Barbarians. Hoto and Suikyo had been invited to watch the concert too and were sitting together with Komei. Bacho's sisters had also been invited and as relatives of one of the Shoku Warriors were allowed to sit in the front row with the other leaders and officers.

Sasuke Takeda had also come to watch the concert, sitting together with the audience. Sitting next to him was Nanamomo, the Sloth Rinrinshi that was disguised as a beautiful woman.

Meanwhile, behind the stage's curtain, Nagata, Mitsuki, Hideyoshi and Masataka were gathered together. For their performance, the four young men were dressed in matching uniforms in their signature colors. They resembled high school gakuran jackets with matching pants. They were also decorated. A dragon, phoenix, tiger, and turtle decorated Nagata, Mitsuki, Masataka and Hideyoshi's uniforms, respectively.

"Are we seriously doing this?" asked Hideyoshi, feeling anxious.

"Marcus insisted," Mitsuki sighed.

"Actually, it might be fun," smiled Masataka reassuringly as he adjusted his glasses.

"Yeah, Akechi. Or do you have stage fright?" Nagata teased. Mitsuki scowled in response.

"Say that again, Oda!" challenged Mitsuki.

"Alright, boys! Get ready! You're on in one minute!" Marcus instructed.

There was no turning back now. Mitsuki knew this too. Turning tail and running like a coward was not a choice for him.

The curtain was raised and the four Armored War Gods stood in a single line, facing the audience.

Marcus spoke into his microphone, "Presenting your opening act! The Four Sovereigns singing 'Ranbu Escalation'!"

The music started, providing the mood for the song. The four Armored War Gods nodded at each other as they waited for their cue.

" **RANBU ESCALATION: SOVEREIGN EDITION"**

Nagata yelled, "Everyone, this is our stage now!"

 **Nagata, Hideyoshi, Mitsuki, and Masataka:**

" _Ore-tachi ga saikyou no_

 _Chikara te ni ireta to shite_

 _Sono ato ni kono me ni wa_

 _Donna sekai utsuru no ka..."_

The music picked up as the Four Sovereigns performed a choreographed dance number. The audience, especially women, cheered loudly. One of them actually fainted after screaming so much.

 **Nagata:**

" _Arasoi wa mata arasoi no tane nokoshi"_

 **Masataka:**

" _Toki ga tatsu mama kanashimi no mi wo sodateru"_

 **Hideyoshi:**

" _Nigetai no nara orireba ii kono BATORU wo"_

 **Mitsuki:**

" _Risou narabete kanau hodo amakunai"_

 **Nagata:**

" _Daremo ga..."_

 **Mitsuki:**

" _Jibun ga..."_

 **Nagata:**

" _Motomeru..."_

 **All together:**

" _Mirai wo mezase!_

 _Ore-tachi ga saikyou no_

 _Chikara te ni ireta to shite_

 _Sono ato ni kono me ni wa_

 _Donna sekai utsuru no darou"_

 **Nagata and Hideyoshi:**

" _Joukyou dakai shiteku hodo ni"_

 **Mitsuki and Masataka:**

" _Shihai suru hodo ni"_

 **All together:**

" _Sovereign Escalation!"_

 **Mitsuki:**

" _Tomadoi no suki nerawareteru koto kizukazu"_

 **Masataka:**

" _Aoi kajitsu no mama naraba tsuburete yuke"_

 **Nagata:**

" _Genkai wo mata koeru tabi fuan ni naru"_

 **Hideyoshi:**

" _Doko ni chikazuki donna mono ushinau?"_

 **Mitsuki:**

" _Modorenai"_

 **Nagata:**

" _Tomarenai"_

 **Mitsuki:**

" _Saigo ni"_

 **All together:**

" _Kachi-nokoru made!_

 _Kono sekai saikyou no_

 _PAWAA no kagi wo aketara_

 _Ore-tachi no unmei wa_

 _Doko e tsunagatte yuku darou"_

 **Mitsuki and Masataka:**

" _Yabou wa moesakatte!"_

 **Nagata and Hideyoshi:**

" _Kawaranai negai!"_

 **All together:**

" _Chikara Escalation! Wow!"_

As the Four Sovereigns stopped singing, the music continued to play in the background. Swiftly strapping on their SengokuDrivers, they took out their Sovereign Lockseeds and transformed live on stage.

As the Sovereign Lockseeds were activated, the Sovereign Aura Beasts flew out and flew over the audience. It was better than any special effects that Marcus had ever seen. The audience was struck speechless and in awe as the Aura Beasts soared over them. Then, the Sovereign Lockseeds were loaded and activated, calling back the Sovereign Aura Beasts to transform the four Armored War Gods.

Backstage, Marcus yelled into a microphone, "Presenting, the Almighty Sovereign Riders! First, we have...the White Devil Tiger... **ZANGETSU**!"

 **[BAIHU ARMS! BYAKKO NO KIBA, TENSHIN!]**

"The Crimson Phoenix Enforcer... **BARON**!"

 **[ZHUQIAO ARMS! FLIGHT OF PHOENIX!]**

"The Black Iron Turtle... **GRIDON**!"

 **[XUANWU ARMS! KUROTAMA NO TATE, GO ON!]**

"And finally, the ruler of Shoku, the Peerless Azure Dragon King himself... **GAIM**!"

 **[RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

The cheers from the audience intensified as all four Armored War Gods on stage transformed. It was truly an amazing sight to behold. These were the Chosen Warriors who had inherited the Souls of the Four Sovereigns.

 **Ryujin Gaim and Gridon:**

" _Daremo tatakau riyuu ga ari"_

 **Baron and Zangetsu:**

" _Daremo tomeru koto wa dekinai"_

 **All together:**

" _Hajimaru masashiku_

 _Ranse no_

 _Gunyuukakkyo!"_

 **Ryujin Gaim and Gridon:**

" _Ore ga ima te ni ireta_

 _Chikara ga donna mono demo"_

 **Baron and Zangetsu:**

" _Dare yori mo saki wo iku_

 _Rikutsu ni kawari wa nai sa"_

It was at this moment that the Chou Sisters walked onto the stage from the left to join the four Armored War Gods. They then sang the last part of the song together. The audience's cheers increased in volume as the Chou Sisters sang together with the four Armored War Gods.

 **All together:**

" _Ore-tachi ga saikyou no_

 _Chikara te ni ireta to shite_

 _Sono ato ni kono me ni wa_

 _Donna sekai utsuru no darou_

 _Joukyou dakai shiteku hodo ni_

 _Shihai suru hodo ni_

 _Sovereign Escalation!"_

When the song finally ended, the entire audience was silent. Then, the sound of applause was heard. It was coming from Ryuubi who was giving them a standing ovation, clapping her hands as she cheered. It soon spread as everyone copied her and stood up, applauding and cheering for the four Armored War Gods and the Chou Sisters. It was deafening and clearly Ryujin Gaim was a bit embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his helmet.

"Everyone, THANK YOU!" Ryujin Gaim smiled as he waved to the audience.

Chokaku addressed the Armored War Gods, "Gaim-sama, Baron-sama, Gridon-sama, and Zangetsu-sama, thank you for a very lively performance. Do you have anything to say?"

Ryujin Gaim replied, "Well, to be honest, I didn't think we would transform in front of everyone just for a concert."

"But everyone obviously enjoyed it," Chokaku smiled.

"Well, I guess you can say that."

"Oda, don't be so humble. When people praise you, just accept it," Baron advised.

"Baron has the right idea," Zangetsu agreed.

"ZAN-NIICHAN! I LOVE YOU!"

Zangetsu laughed and replied, "I love you too, Shao-chan."

Sonshoko giggled as she sat back down.

"Well, we should consider a career of being singers," Gridon joked.

"I don't have time for such nonsense," scoffed Baron.

"That's weird because you looked like you were enjoying yourself," Ryujin Gaim pointed out.

"Urusai, Oda!" Baron snapped.

"Don't forget, this concert is being held because you once again saved our land," Choho winked. That was true. Gridon had saved the land from Chojo, Zangetsu had saved Son Go from falling into further despair, Baron had stopped Sou Gi from starting a war, and Gaim had saved Shoku from being wiped off the face off the Earth.

"Yes, but I couldn't have done it alone. None of us could. We're stronger when we're together and this concert shows that while we belong to different factions, that doesn't stop us from being united," Ryujin Gaim smiled.

"That's quite a beautiful sentiment," agreed Chokaku.

"Chi-neesan, Tenho-neesan," Choryo prompted them. "Don't you remember? We have a song to sing too."

"Oh, right." Chokaku hit her own head cutely. "I forgot." The audience laughed at the joke. "Since we're all here, how about we sing together?"

"Sing with you?" Ryujin Gaim asked.

"Of course! We would be honored!" Chokaku beamed. "Everyone, do you want Gaim-sama and the others to sing with us?"

The audience cheered.

"The people have spoken," Chokaku confirmed.

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" Enjutsu shouted as she came on stage. Joining her were Kakuka and Chokun, and they were all dressed in their idol costumes.

"Oh, looks like Enjutsu has decided to join us on stage," remarked Choho.

"That's Enjutsu- _ **sama**_! Enjutsu- _ **sama**_!" insisted Enjutsu.

The audience laughed.

"Did you want to join us, Enjutsu-sama?" asked Chokaku politely.

"Of course we would love to join you. Isn't that right, girls?" Enjutsu asked her fellow singers. Kakuka was smiling widely as she nodded while Chokun gave her best 'yes-man' affirmation. "I am not one to deny the people the opportunity to hear my wonderful singing voice."

"Well, this should be fun then. Alright, let's begin! Minna, ikuyo! **JUST! LIVE! MORE!** "

And the audience erupted into cheers as the music played.

* * *

 **(ENDING SONG: JUST LIVE MORE by Gaim no Kaze)**

 _ **Got it, Move...Wow!**_

 _ **Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!**_

 _ **Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!**_

The festive atmosphere of the Harvest Festival was enjoyed by all, including the locals and visitors from outside of Shoku. They were visiting the stalls that were set up that sold souvenirs and snacks as well as a few stalls that offered prizes for playing their games.

 _ **Sabaibaru You got move**_

 _ **Gendai wa sanagara sengoku**_

 _ **Dare ga kachinukeru**_

 _ **Kagi wa hirake rarete shimatta**_

Iori was at a game stall with Kochu and Riri. Their daughter pointed at a large plush version of Armored War God Ryugen. Smiling, Iori picked up the slingshot and loaded it with a pebble before he catapulted the target that was stuck to the plush's body. He hit the bullseye and Riri clapped and cheered as the vendor handed the little girl her prize. Kochu kissed her husband's cheek and asked if she could get a prize as well. He picked up the slingshot to try his luck again.

 _ **(Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!)**_

 _ **Doko ni aru?**_

 _ **(Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!)**_

 _ **Do tsukau?**_

 _ **Kindan no kajitsu**_

Enjutsu was visiting all the souvenir stands and buying whatever caught her eye. She soon found herself at a stand selling Chou Sisters merchandise. She complained that she should have merchandise of herself while Chokun placated her mistress. They may have tried to be idol singers, but the Chou Sisters' own popularity was still much stronger. Enjutsu fumed but managed to calm down as she bought herself some merchandise. Chokun groaned since she knew she was going to end up carrying it all.

 _ **`Ima' to iu kaze wa nani o tsutaeru tame**_

 _ **[Omae no moto ni fuku tsuyoku tsuyoku Blowin' up]**_

 _ **Ashita ga yume ga mada mienakute mo**_

 _ **[Soko genkai seiippai ikite iru to ierunara]**_

Kenshin and Hideyoshi were manning a stall selling barbecue chicken skewers with Kayu trying to attract customers. Unfortunately, she ended up scaring them off and the maid outfit really didn't make her look any less intimidating. That was when Totaku decided to offer her help. With the cute maid acting as their stall's mascot, they managed to attract a crowd of hungry customers. Kaku made sure to help Hideyoshi collect payment and note down purchases.

 _ **Utsumuku na yo [kao agero]**_

 _ **doko madede mo [Mageru koto naku]**_

 _ **Shinjita michi o yuke JUST LIVE MORE!**_

A crowd cheered as Kyocho, Ryofu, Bacho and Chouhi were having a nikuman eating contest. While Chouhi and Bacho looked like they were about to reach their limit, Kyocho and Ryofu ate at a normal pace without showing any strain. Ten'i, who had made the nikuman, cheered for Kyocho while Chinkyuu was cheering for Ryofu.

 _ **(Don't Say No, JUST LIVE MORE)**_

 _ **Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!**_

 _ **Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!**_

Sitting in the audience was Shuutai but she wasn't there to watch the contest. She was just making sure she sat close to Ryofu's pets so she could admire all the cats and kittens Ryofu owned.

 _ **Hanamichi Philosophy**_

 _ **Katanakya sugu ni Gakepucchi**_

 _ **Tatakai wa Never End**_

 _ **Saigo no hitori ni naru made**_

Natsu, Fuyu, and their performance troupe had set up a stage and were performing for a crowd who cheered as they performed acrobatics and magic tricks for their audience. Among the audience were Ryomo, Rikuson, Shuyu, Shokyo, and Daikyo. While watching the show, Shuyu sighed as she wished Sonsaku was here, but she knew her beloved wouldn't want her to be depressed all the time.

 _ **(Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!)**_

 _ **Minu furi ka?**_

 _ **(Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!)**_

 _ **Mogitoru ka?**_

 _ **Kindan no kajitsu**_

Kogai was getting drunk with Gengan who had come to visit Kochu and her family. The two busty females laughed like old buddies as they continued to empty their cups of wine.

 _ **`Ima' to iu sora wa nani o miseru tame ni**_

 _ **[Makka moeteiru atsuku atsuku Burnin' sun]**_

 _ **Tsuyosa de nani o shōmei suru no ka**_

 _ **[Omae dake ni kiiterunda kowasu no ka mamoru no ka]**_

Mitsuki was arm wrestling with Chouryou and the violet-haired woman trash-talked him as the two of them struggled to pin each other down.

 _ **Ashiato sae [dare mo inai]**_

 _ **Mienakutemo [sekai no hate]**_

 _ **Shinjita michi o yuke JUST LIVE MORE!**_

Ensho, Bunshu and Ganryo participated in a cosplay contest, wearing the costumes they had worn during Ensho's stage show. Haru cheered them on. They ended up losing, however, to Kosonsan, Ryuubi, and Gien who wore costumes that were inspired by the Armored War Gods. Haru still gave Ensho words of encouragement which always made her feel better.

 _ **Kono arasoi o**_

 _ **Owari ni dekiru dareka wa**_

 _ **Tenka Musō no shōsha**_

Sonshoko, Sonken, and Masataka were having their portrait done by Marcus. The young man was seated between the two sisters who hugged his arms and he smiled while Marcus was drawing them.

 _ **Toman-na Bibin-na**_

 _ **Omotta sono mama you're on the right track**_

 _ **JUST, JUST, JUST LIVE MORE!**_

Komei was with Hoto and Suikyo, the three of them visiting stalls and exchanging stories, laughing cheerfully. They looked like a real family. The sight could melt the coldest hearts. The Nanban Barbarians were visiting all the food stalls with Ichiro and Shamoke.

 _ **`Ima' to iu kaze wa nani o tsutaeru tame**_

 _ **[Omae no moto ni fuku tsuyoku tsuyoku Blowin' up]**_

 _ **Ashita ga yume ga mada mienakute mo**_

 _ **[Soko genkai seiippai ikite iru to ierunara]**_

Sousou entered a cooking contest and her opponent was Nagata. The two glared at each other before they started to cook their dishes. Their factions cheered them on as the two rulers showed off their cooking skills. Gakushin and Riten were also participating in the cooking contest but they were not quite sure about their chances when up against Sousou and Nagata.

 _ **`Ima' to iu sora wa nani o miseru tame ni**_

 _ **[Makka moeteiru atsuku atsuku Burnin' sun]**_

 _ **Tsuyosa de nani o shōmei suru no ka**_

 _ **[Omae dake ni kiiterunda kowasu no ka mamoru no ka]**_

Kanu was in the audience and cheering Nagata on as Chou'un sat next to her. She whispered something suggestive in her friend's ear, causing the black-haired girl's eyes to widen as she blushed. Karasu glared at Kanu for a moment before she resumed cheering for her beloved second cousin.

 _ **Utsumuku na yo [kao agero]**_

 _ **doko madede mo [Mageru koto naku]**_

 _ **Shinjita michi o yuke JUST LIVE MORE!**_

Ryuubi's mother came to visit with the people from her hometown as she welcomed them. She made not-so-subtle hints about Ryuubi marrying Nagata, embarrassing the girl. At least her mother wasn't throwing her in any lakes anymore.

 _ **Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!**_

 _ **Don't Say No! JUST LIVE MORE!**_

The festival continued late into the night and ended with a beautiful fireworks display courtesy of Riten. Everyone enjoyed themselves greatly, and Nagata smiled as he was able to enjoy the festival with all the friends he made here. His resolve was strengthened as he was once again reminded of what he was fighting for.

He was fighting for peace.

He was fighting for his friends.

He was fighting for his loved ones.

He was fighting so that the people could keep on smiling like this.

* * *

 **KRC:** And that is that. I'm so happy I managed to get to this point. There were a lot of obstacles, but I made. And ending it with a big concert, well that was just me giving the readers some fan service and kicking off the finale of the Ryujin Arc with a big bang. But actually there's more to come, just wait and see.

Oh, and there's actually going to be supplementary material for the Harvest Festival. I'm going to call it **"Romance in the Shoku Kingdom"** , which will be a mini-series that focuses on Nagata developing a relationship with his harem. Officially, he doesn't have a harem, but that will all change. So check that out once I publish it since it won't be part of the main story. More of a spin-off really.

 **TFP:** Well, all's well that ends well. Nagata's recovered and things seem to be getting back to normal. For the moment, the RinJyuKen is down, but likely not for long with the Five Femme Fatales still out there. Still, at least for a time, there is peace. Everyone can recover from the wounds they suffered in the fighting and they can get their lives back in order. Still, this is far from the end of things.

 **BL92:** And so, we bring the Ryujin Arc to a close. Not only that, we get to see the big concert for the _Four Sovereigns_ to sing Ranbu Escalation as a bonus to kick the finale off with a big _Yang_! Eh? Am I right, guys?

* * *

The throne room of the RinJyuKen Akugata was empty, but the sounds of footsteps could be heard as they cut through the silence.

"Damn you...Gaim..."

Braco limped unsteadily into the throne room. His body was threatening to fall apart as dust fell from him with each painful step he took. He barely managed to survive Gaim's finisher and escape with his life. Only by having his comrades shield him did he survive at all. However, his body was about to give out. His injuries were fatal but he had no plans of dying today.

"The Seal...of Heaven..."

Resting upon the throne Braco had taken for himself was the Seal of Heaven. Its eyes were watching him as if daring him to come towards it. With its power, he could reinvigorate himself and return to finish the job.

Braco struggled to bring himself over to it, only to stop in his tracks.

The reason he stopped? Something had just hit him from behind and burst out of his chest.

It was a huge bear claw made of ice and attached to the claw was Shirokumahime. She was standing right behind him with a happy smile on her face.

"Welcome back, Braco," Shirokumahime greeted softly.

"Shiro...kuma...hime..." trembled Braco.

Her tone turned cold, chilling him more than the ice bear claw she had run him through with, "This is the price of betrayal. You stabbed us in the back, now it's your turn."

Braco could offer no reply as his insides began to rapidly freeze. A layer of ice soon spread all over his body, starting from where Shirokumahime had him impaled before he was completely frozen solid. She shattered his body and the fragments scattered all over the floor.

After carrying out Braco's execution, Shirokumahime climbed up the steps to her throne and picked up the Seal of Heaven. She examined it from all sides to confirm its authenticity.

The Femme Fatales knew all about Braco's plan to overthrow them. There wasn't anything that their Rinrinshi did that they didn't know about. They were aware of his plans to overthrow them and they played along until the end. It would appear they owed the Armored War Gods a bit of gratitude as they managed to snuff out that little rebellion before it even began. Still, they weren't going to stop with their own plans as all their work and planning would finally come to fruition.

"Your little coup was almost successful, Braco," Shirokumahime said approvingly. "Too bad it was not meant to last. You made a mistake by underestimating the Armored War Gods and paid the price." She turned to face her sisters who had entered the throne room with her. "The Seal of Heaven is ours! Soon, Dai Shi-sama will return!"

"You might want to have the place cleaned up before that," Takahime quipped, referring to Braco's shattered remains which now littered the floor.

"I'll get right on that!"

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #9A: AFTER THE SHOW**

"Thank you and goodnight!" The Four Sovereigns bowed before they went backstage.

"That was _magnifique_ , _mes amis_ ," Marcus smiled.

"That was actually pretty fun," admitted Nagata.

"Most enjoyable, if I do say so myself," agreed Masataka.

"It was OK," Mitsuki shrugged.

"I've never had so many girls screaming for me before," Hideyoshi blushed.

"I actually see you boys making it big in show business!" Marcus grinned. "I'm talking merchandising, promotional events, the whole works!"

"Actually, I don't think I'll have time for that," said Nagata. "I got some maids to do-I mean paperwork to do. Yes, paperwork."

"I have my own duties to return to. They take up most of my time anyway," added Masataka.

"Gotta train the Crimson Guard. It's a full-time gig," Mitsuki continued.

"And I have a few things keeping me busy as well," Hideyoshi finished.

"Oh, alright then," sighed Marcus. The Four Sovereigns walked away. Chokaku patted his back. "They have so much talent and it's going to waste."

"It's alright, Marcus-kun. You still got us," Chokaku said optimistically.

" _Merci_ , Tenho-chan."

"Hey, there's like a pink thong on stage. Does anyone know who it belongs to?" Choho asked. "Because I'm not touching it."

"I'm sorry! That's mine!" Chosen apologized as he picked up his thong and vanished.

The Chou Sisters and Marcus shivered.

"That never happened," Marcus stated.

"Agreed," the Chou Sisters chorused.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI #9B: BEFORE THE SHOW**

Chokaku, Choho, and Choryo were in the middle of dance rehearsal as Marcus observed them. However, Chokaku seemed to miss her timing with her steps, forcing Marcus to stop their practice.

"Alright, stop!" Marcus ordered.

Chokaku whimpered. She knew she had messed up.

"Tenho-chan, you know I love you. But kick-step, kick-step, body-roll is not complicated. It's kick-step, kick-step, body-roll!" Marcus scolded.

"I'm sorry!" Chokaku apologized.

Choho yelled in frustration, "Argh! I can't work like this!" She started to storm off.

"Hold on! Where do you think you're going?" Marcus demanded.

"Anywhere but here!" Choho shouted back.

"No, you're not! You still have a fitting to get to! You haven't lost that weight, have you?" Marcus accused.

"You don't know that!" Choho snapped defensively.

"I know there's an empty box of snacks hiding under your bed!" Marcus countered.

Choho started to whimper, and Choryo suddenly broke down and cried because of all the pressure.

Ukin and Mitsuki were spying on them from outside the studio.

"So, being an idol isn't so easy," Ukin remarked.

"Never thought he could be such a slave driver," Mitsuki commented.

 _*Based on the_ _ **RWBY Chibi**_ _Dance Practice short._


	11. Interlude I: Post-Battle Meeting

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Interlude I: Post-Battle Meeting**

The Round Table of Shoku was Nagata's meeting place for himself and his generals. It also acted as a conference table for diplomatic meetings or meetings with allies.

A couple of weeks following Braco's defeat, Nagata called for an important meeting and requested the presence of their allies. Nagata was hosting this meeting. He, along with Komei and Ryuubi, represented Shoku. Sousou, Juniku, and Mitsuki represented Sou Gi as they sat to Nagata's left while Sonken, Ryomo and Masataka represented Son Go as they sat at Nagata's right.

Shoku, Son Go and Sou Gi, the Three Great Kingdoms of the Age of the Armored War Gods.

Ensho and Kosonsan were also invited to sit at the meeting, representing their own territories and factions. As Hideyoshi was presently working under Kosonsan, he sat with her as her advisor. Ensho came with Haru, Bunshu, and Ganryo.

"Thank you all for coming," Nagata greeted his allies. "You must be wondering why I've called you here."

"You sounded urgent," Sonken agreed.

"So, what's so important that you needed to speak with us?" Sousou asked.

"As you all know, the RinJyuKen Akugata now possess the Seal of Heaven," Nagata informed them.

"WHAT!?" Ensho shrieked in shock.

Sonken, Sousou and Kosonsan weren't surprised by this revelation. They had been informed by their Armored War Gods. Only Haru alone had failed to mention this to Ensho.

"Haru-sama, did you know about this!?" Ensho demanded.

"Yeah, I kinda did. Must've slipped my mind after everything that happened. Sorry, Reiha-chan," Haru answered apologetically.

"The Seal of Heaven...the physical proof of the Mandate of Heaven...in enemy hands..." Ensho paled at the terrifying thought. She was freaking out. Luckily, she had Haru with her to help calm her down.

"The RinJyuKen Akugata may have the Seal of Heaven, but that doesn't make us powerless," Mitsuki remarked. "We have the power of the Sovereigns at our command."

Nagata answered, "Akechi's right. I think it's more important that we focus on what we need to do about this. If Chojo and Braco's use of its power is any indication, our enemies have just gotten their hands on an artifact that will spell doom for us all."

"A huge understatement," muttered Juniku.

"That's why we need to find out where they are and stop them for good. Our best lead right now is Braco's army."

"When they traveled all the way to attack Shoku, they were coming from the East. We sent trackers to find their route and we think we have a clue where we could find their base," Komei said.

"So now we know where they are, right?" Ensho asked hopefully.

"It's not that easy. We only have a general area. Nothing specific," Komei answered with a discouraging frown.

"I might be able to help with that," offered Masataka as he unrolled a map.

"What have you got for us, Zangetsu?" Sousou asked, interested.

"I've been keeping track of all our enemy's activities. On this map, I've marked all the spots where there have been reported sightings. There is a pattern here and it appears that at the very centre of it is **Mt. Tai**. I suspect our enemy's secret headquarters is within that area."

"On one of the tallest mountains in China?" Ensho asked skeptically.

"It would be a good hiding place for them. Mt. Tai is very high and nobody will notice anything strange going on up there," said Ryuubi.

"So now we know where our enemy is hiding. Let's stop wasting time and storm the place now," Mitsuki eagerly suggested. He could already imagine himself burning the place to the ground.

"That may not be a wise move," Masataka cautioned. "We have a possible location but we have no knowledge of their defenses. If we go in without proper preparations, we might end up on the wrong end of a slaughter. We need a plan."

"What other plan do we need? The four of us already have access to the Power of the Four Sovereigns! And Ryugen has some kind of power that puts him on equal footing! The five of us can storm the gates and put a stop to them for good!" Mitsuki argued as he banged his fist on the table.

"A surprise attack would be good right about now," Nagata responded thoughtfully. "But without knowledge of the enemy's defenses, we could end up stumbling into a trap."

"So you expect us to just wait it out, Oda?" Mitsuki demanded.

"I just want us to be ready for what we might be facing. We've faced an army of Rinshi many times, but what if we end up facing an army of **Rinrinshi**?"

"We'll just crush them like all our enemies," Mitsuki proclaimed.

"And how many people will die once they decide to retaliate?" Nagata countered.

The two glared at each other. Sousou smirked, agreeing with Mitsuki, while Ryuubi looked worried. Juniku just sighed.

"While I may not agree with the idea of storming their base, I have to agree with Baron actually," said Masataka. "They've been allowed to get away with their actions for far too long. It's time we destroyed them for good."

"And Son Go will be ready to take the fight to them," added Sonken. "We have a large supply of Lockseeds that can be used to bolster our military might."

"So does the RinJyuKen since they're allied with the Armored War Devils, and I have the feeling they're trying to find a way to maintain better control over the Inves. There's also the fact that they also have an army of Kurokages," Sousou argued.

"How about we just keep an eye on the mountain for now?" Komei suggested.

"You mean to set up some kind of surveillance outpost?" Kosonsan asked.

"So we're just going to watch the mountain?" Ensho cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, we haven't completely confirmed our enemy's exact location. Maybe a surveillance outpost there could help us," said Nagata.

"And if it gets attacked by the enemy?" Ryuubi asked worriedly.

"If the outpost is destroyed by the RinJyuKen, then we'll know we're onto something," Sousou answered.

Discussions continued on where to place the outpost for quick reference and the best way for anyone who was actually there to evacuate. They knew if the RinJyuKen were stationed nearby, the outpost would be attacked and Nagata had no desire to waste lives. Masataka agreed, outvoting Mitsuki who merely felt all operations in a war carried a risk and they couldn't balk at it. Still, a location and assigned personnel were decided upon and the matter was settled.

Seeing one issue out of the way, Nagata brought up another.

"As you all remember, Rakuyo is now an abandoned city and stands as a grim reminder of a terrible tragedy," Nagata started. They all remembered the fire that took the former Imperial Capital and the lives of its citizens. While the buildings still stood, the damage was too severe, and it remained in such a state ever since.

"So, why should we care? It's just a bunch of ruins now," Mitsuki remarked dismissively.

Nagata continued, "The people of China once looked to Rakuyo as a symbol of strength and stability. They believed in the empire to always be there to protect them. But after the fall of the empire, things have just gotten worse. All of us are trying to make things better by offering aid to the former imperial territories, or by absorbing them into our own territory. Still, I don't think this is enough. That is why I propose that we restore Rakuyo to its former glory."

"You seriously want to **fix** Rakuyo?" Sousou asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do you really think it's worthwhile? The cost for new materials and hiring carpenters and builders will be staggering," Masataka added. "You'll have to raise taxes to cover those costs."

"It is worthwhile. Rakuyo is now just standing there as some kind of depressing reminder. However, by restoring it, the city can stand as a symbol of hope for a brighter tomorrow," Ryuubi spoke.

"It's a waste of time and money, but for the sake of the people, perhaps rebuilding Rakuyo is a good idea. It could give people a new place to live," Sousou agreed. While her plans for expansion could only go so far thanks to the war effort against the RinJyuKen, this offered a chance to spread her name further, influencing more provinces to join under her banner.

"That is if people will agree to live in a place with such a bloody history," Sonken argued.

"I think that, as long as people believe it has the blessing of the Armored War Gods, that they will not have any misgivings in living in Rakuyo," Nagata countered. "I also feel that the palace can be used as a base for our alliance, which brings me to my next point: Ukitsu's new cult."

"Let me begin by saying this: when we find the bastard who tried to turn me into a puppet, I will rip out his tongue and watch him bleed dry," Sousou stated threateningly.

"And I'll _burn_ him right after Shibai's done squeezing every ounce of information out of him," supported Mitsuki. The two shared a mutual fist-bump, making Nagata shiver. It was scary and worrying how they always seem to be on the same wavelength.

"Well, since you both have had experience with this cult of his, you may have the floor," Nagata permitted.

Sousou nodded as all eyes turned to her. "It came as a surprise attack the likes I've never experienced before. Ukitsu stormed my palace in the dead of night, subduing all my guards. He then came to me and made me look into his eyes. That's the last thing I remembered before I woke up on a palanquin."

Mitsuki continued, "I returned after a raid on a bandit base to find the city empty. When I got there, Ukitsu was waiting for me. I was outmatched by his new comrade and forced to retreat. I had to return to my temporary base only to find it was attacked by Ukitsu's White Clothes. Fortunately, my Crimson Guard took care of the problem and managed to capture a prisoner. My new strategist Shibai was able to make him talk. We found out plenty from him."

"Ukitsu's trying to raise an army, correct?" Nagata asked.

"Yeah, an army of delusional fanatics who believe that Ukitsu and his group are the 'rightful' Armored War Gods and that we're the 'phonies'," Mitsuki confirmed.

"How could they believe that?" Ryuubi asked.

"Rakuyo," Masataka answered. When all eyes fell on him, he elaborated, "It's just a theory, but maybe it's about what happened in Rakuyo. Many people believe real gods should have been able to stop the fire. Because a lot of innocents died, there are people who have lost their faith in us. Ukitsu's probably using that as an excuse to recruit people into being part of his cult. The more people who lose their faith in us, the more he can recruit into his White Clothes cult."

"That makes sense. The foundation of every religion is to give people something to believe in. The same goes for cults," Hideyoshi agreed. "People can become vulnerable after a tragedy and are easily influenced."

"And I doubt it will end anytime soon. The people's faith is shaken right now. When the citizens of Son Go believed I was the one who killed Sonsaku-sama, they felt betrayed and lost faith in me. We're still working on restoring that faith," Masataka added.

"We can't allow this to continue!" Kosonsan proclaimed.

"Well, no need to worry about the En Clan's territory! My people's faith is still strong!" Ensho boasted.

"Don't be so sure about that, Ensho. You're not all seeing. Maybe they're hidden in plain sight," Sousou retorted. It happened to her after all. "For now, we should consider this cult a hostile force and deal with them accordingly."

"You mean kill them, right?" Nagata asked, knowing Sousou's preferred methods of dealing with threats.

"What other way is there?" Sousou shrugged. "This cult is as much as a threat to us as the RinJyuKen Akugata, especially since they are led by the Armored War Devils. This cult is turning our own people into traitors and causing them to rebel against us, an act that is only punishable by death. "

"I do not agree!" Ryuubi shouted as she stood up. "They're just people who were manipulated into joining Ukitsu's cult! You can't just kill them because of that!"

Mitsuki stood up and glared back at her. "When I joined up with Karin, I swore to protect her and her kingdom at all cost! If it means killing a bunch of crazy fanatics, so be it!"

"But they're just innocent people! They're victims too!" Ryuubi argued.

"So you recommend we find a way to help them?" Mitsuki asked.

"Yes!"

"And if they refuse our help?" Mitsuki challenged. "Are you just going to force them into accepting your help?"

"I..." Ryuubi hesitated.

"It's a waste of time to try to help someone who doesn't want your help."

"That's enough. Calm down," Nagata ordered and Mitsuki scoffed before sitting down. Ryuubi was still upset as she sat down as well. Kosonsan gave her best friend a comforting pat on the shoulder and smiled proudly at how Ryuubi was willing to stand up for her beliefs.

"All I'm saying is that we may not have the means to help them," Mitsuki put in.

Nagata replied, "I can see where Ryuubi is going with this. Cultists are usually innocent people who are manipulated by the leader to commit acts that may go against their original nature, but that doesn't make them completely innocent since they willingly joined the cult. I don't recommend killing them unless there are other options." Nagata knew this wasn't going to be easy. A unanimous agreement was rare, but they could at least settle for a compromise one, something that all the parties involved could agree with. Komei taught him that compromise was just another part of diplomacy.

"So what's your plan to deal with them?" Sousou challenged.

"If they surrender, we'll take them prisoner and treat them humanely," Nagata recommended.

"So, we're allowed to take prisoners then?" Sousou asked.

"And have them dealt with accordingly and fairly," Nagata added, looking directly at Mitsuki and Sousou. They were the most war-minded members of this Alliance.

"Then we will deal with the White Clothes our way," Sousou stated.

Just because they were part of an Alliance, it didn't mean they had to play by the same rules. Sou Gi was her domain, and she would deal with the enemy her way. Her retainers all supported her and Mitsuki did as well. Despite coming from the same place as Nagata, Mitsuki was a lot like her. They would deal with any enemy with the appropriate and proportionate use of force.

"No, we need to come out with a solution we can all agree with. I can't have you executing them because they happen to fall in your hands. We are in an Alliance here and we need to decide this together," Nagata reaffirmed.

"Oh, really?" Sousou challenged and the two leaders had a stare down.

"Yes, really. If I wanted to decide their fate by myself, I would not have called you all for a meeting. We're all _equal_ here, and we _all_ have a voice."

Sousou and Nagata stared each other down. Next to her Mitsuki was prepared to say or do something, but he knew this was Sousou's battle. He abhorred politics and such things, but the petite conqueror knew that particular pit of vipers well. That aside, he was glad to see that Nagata still retained his will and spine after his near-death experience. Some people would have been broken by such an experience.

"Hmm," Sousou pondered before sitting back. "Very well then. Our methods of at least capturing them should be at our own discretion, but once we have them, we can coordinate what we learn from them. However, we all know fanatics don't usually turn so easily no matter how well you treat them."

"Treating them harshly would just reinforce their stance against us," Nagata retorted. "We simply show them that they can still have faith in us, can still believe in us. Is it impractical? Maybe, but I see it as being more effective. What better way to destroy an enemy than to make them our ally?"

Sousou conceded the point. After all, she had done the same thing with the Yellow Turbans and the Chou Sisters. "Still, I will reserve that treatment depending on how receptive they are to it. I will not coddle anyone who is so firmly against me."

"I agree," Sonken nodded. "While I have no qualms about trying to win hearts and minds of these...disillusioned people, I will not spare them punishment if they remain steadfast against us."

Nagata nodded. While he didn't like the idea of torture, interrogation, or executions, he knew that Sonken and Sousou were willing to resort to those methods. The Ukitsu's cult was at war with them and such practices were needed. Still, he had gotten his point across. The cultists were not going to be recklessly slaughtered, which was what Nagata had been hoping for. Death in battle was one thing, but execution afterward was another matter entirely.

"I wish to say something." Ensho raised her hand, bringing all attention to herself. "A long time ago I may have agreed with Sousou. However, recent events have allowed me to see things from a different perspective." Ensho held Haru's hand as she continued, "I believe we need to deal with this threat, but we can't treat every member of the threat as monsters. They're just people who lost their way and Ukitsu played on that."

Sousou was surprised and asked after a brief pause, "...Okay, who are you and what have you done with the _real_ Ensho?" There was no way Ensho would say something so wise unless it was something she rehearsed for a speech.

"It's just that I learnt that people are important. There are casualties in a war, true, but what will it mean if we just slaughter them just for being on the other side? It would just prove that we can't be trusted. Monsters, yes, should be killed. But these people just need something to believe in," Ensho finished.

Everyone was speechless while Bunshu and Ganryo applauded their leader. Haru even grinned and cheered.

"...OK, that was unexpected," mumbled Nagata. Had Haru's influence on Ensho been more than he expected? He just thought Haru would help Ensho to be a better person, not smarter and more humble.

"That was beautiful," Ryuubi smiled approvingly.

"I don't believe it and I heard it straight from Ensho's mouth," commented Kosonsan.

Mitsuki rolled his eyes. He was surrounded by bleeding hearts.

"But how should we deal with them as a whole?" Sonken asked.

"We cut off the head: Ukitsu and the Armored War Devils. Without them, the cult will fall into disarray. Then, we can focus on helping them," Nagata suggested.

"Provided they want our help," Sousou rebutted.

"Look, whatever Ukitsu's plan is, we will stop it. Theirs and the RinJyuKen's," Ryuubi strongly argued.

"Agreed," Nagata relented. "Anyone who wishes otherwise?"

"Nay," came the unanimous agreement.

"Matter closed then," Nagata nodded. "Any other business?"

"I'd like to bring a matter up," Hideyoshi volunteered. "Since this is a new stage in our conflict, we need to keep our connections with each other strong so we can share intelligence. To that end, we should all have a more efficient means to keep in touch."

"We already have the crystal balls and our helmet communicators, what more do we need?" Mitsuki asked.

"This," said Hideyoshi as he showed them a common Lockseed. The only thing that set it apart from other common Lockseed was that the front displayed his personal insignia.

"A Lockseed?" Mitsuki deadpanned.

"Observe," Hideyoshi said as he unlocked the Lockseed. The front flipped open like a clamshell to reveal a screen in the core and a keypad. Instead of numbers, each of the keys had the personal insignia of the Armored War Gods. The screen lit up to display Hideyoshi's personal Rider emblem.

Now this got everyone's attention, but Hideyoshi wasn't done quite yet. He tapped Kurokage's symbol and the screen changed to display the same emblem. A moment later, the device began to ring before the screen changed to show Kenshin's face on it.

" _Hello_?" Kenshin responded.

"Ta-da!" Hideyoshi showed off.

"What in the world!?" Ensho gasped as she jumped out of her seat in shock. "Is that magic!?"

"Is that a _phone_?" Nagata pointed in surprised disbelief.

"What's a phone?" Ryuubi asked.

"A communication device from our world," Nagata answered.

"And _my_ own Armored War God discovered it," Kosonsan boasted.

"Where did you get that?" Masataka questioned as he examined the device.

"Funny story, really..." started Hideyoshi. "It all started one day while I was in Helheim, examining the flora..."

* * *

 _Hideyoshi was in Helheim to harvest Lockseeds. As he examined them, he took out his smartphone to take a picture of the Helheim Fruit. He picked a fruit off its vine and held his smartphone close to it, trying to get the right angle. As he watched the fruit beginning to morph through the phone's camera, the fruit suddenly merged with his phone._

 _He reflexively dropped his phone as the merger took place. Once it was done, Hideyoshi carefully picked up the item and studied it._

 _It was a Lockseed with his emblem in front. He then unlocked it. This caused the front lid to flip open like a clamshell, revealing a keypad on the lid's backside and the core had a screen on it. It didn't display anything, but from the look of it he managed to conclude that the Helheim Fruit had merged with his phone to make a Lockseed Phone.  
_

" _I gotta show this to Kenshin!"_

* * *

"And that's how I acquired this baby!" Hideyoshi finished.

The Armored War Gods were speechless as Hideyoshi proudly finished his tale.

"Your phone _merged_ with a Helheim Fruit to make _that_?" Masataka asked incredulously.

Nagata questioned, "Your phone still works _here_?" Nagata had all but given up his phone for being useless. The battery had died ages ago and he only carried it out of habit half the time. He didn't think he'd get a use out of it anymore.

Hideyoshi answered, "When we got here, it only worked for taking pictures and other apps. There are no cellphone towers so no reception. And you can forget about getting WiFi too." He held up the Lockseed Phone and added, "But now that it's like this, it can be used as a communication device again."

"How did you keep it charged for so long?"

"Kenshin's dad modified it for me and built-in solar panels for charging. Voided the warranty but now it runs on solar energy."

"The idiot's father was able to do that?" Mitsuki asked skeptically.

Hideyoshi scowled and was about to defend Kenshin's family when Kenshin did it instead as he shouted from Hideyoshi's Lockseed Phone, " _I CAN STILL HEAR YOU, SO_ _WATCH YOUR MOUTH, BARON! MY DAD'S A FUCKING GENIUS!_ "

"Thank you, Kenshin," responded Hideyoshi before he shut his Lockseed Phone. "Anyway, if you guys brought your smartphones with you, go to Helheim and do what I did. Instant Lockseed Phone! With this, we can keep in touch while on the move and without our armor."

"A useful device for coordinating ourselves," Masataka realized.

"Beats carrying a crystal ball wherever I go," Mitsuki remarked.

"Hm, Lockseed Phone sounds like a mouthful. How about we call it the **'LockPhone'** instead?" Nagata suggested.

"Not a bad suggestion," Hideyoshi agreed. The name had a nice ring to it.

"It's too bad we don't have the materials to mass produce something like this," Masataka said with disappointment. With each soldier holding one, it would allow for better coordination on the battlefield.

"Yeah, but it already solves quick communication issues between us," Hideyoshi shrugged.

"Okay, we'll each get right on that," Nagata nodded. "Alright, does anyone else have anything to say about the subjects of our meeting? The Seal, the White Clothes, anything?"

Ensho immediately raised her hand again, this time sounding rather girlish rather than the serious leader she was a few minutes ago. "Before we end this meeting, we have an announcement to make. Haru-sama and I will be getting married."

"Oh, my! Congratulations!" Ryuubi cheered.

"So, when's the wedding?" Nagata asked.

"We haven't set a date yet, but you'll know. We'll send invitations," Haru grinned as he rubbed the back of his head.

"And you're all invited. Just remember to bring me plenty of gifts when you show up," Ensho smiled.

"Now _that's_ the Ensho I know," quipped Sousou.

Nagata shook his head and looked to his allies. "So, with no further business to discuss, I'll adjourn this meeting. Now, how about we all go and enjoy the festivities?"

The meeting broke as everyone went to explore the Harvest Festival and meet with their friends. Among them all, Sousou walked alongside Mitsuki and commented, "You seemed oddly contemplative."

"Oda's gotten stronger. He needs to be watched."

"And you still think his compassion is a weakness that's holding him back."

Mitsuki recalled Chitoge and answered, "No, but misplaced compassion can lead to trouble. Only when it bears fruit is when it has value."

"Doesn't that require faith?" Sousou inquired. "After all, you can't always predict the outcome."

"Perhaps not, and that is why we need to hold all the cards."

Meanwhile, Nagata and Ryuubi were exploring the festival grounds.

"You seemed at odds with Sousou-san and Baron-san, Nagata-sama," Ryuubi observed as she and Nagata walked through the grounds of the festival.

"Just worried about what they will do after the RinJyuKen Akugata is no longer a threat," replied Nagata.

"Won't we have peace?"

"I wish I could be as optimistic as you, Touka. Unfortunately, we can't always trust our allies. You know how ambitious Sousou is. The only reason she's working with us is so an obstacle to her ambition can be eliminated."

"So she's just using us."

"If you think about it, we are all just using each other. But what I want is to prevent another war from starting right after ending one."

Nagata needed a way to make Sousou understand. They could be united just not in the way she wanted. He knew what her alternate did from the history books. If she was anything like Cao Cao then she would try to conquer China and unite it under her banner, by force if necessary. They would have another war, and Nagata refused to let that happen.

* * *

 **KRC:** This is our first interlude chapter for Season 6, and I liked how it went. We got the views of all the leaders, and we also introduced the LockPhone. I know that there can be more in their discussion, but I wasn't going to dedicate a LONG chapter to the meeting. Also, if you want to place this meeting, it takes place between the time everyone was recovering after the fight with Braco and the start of the Harvest Festival.

 **TFP:** And so our interlude chapter is done. The meeting between the leaders in the aftermath brings everyone up to speed. They each have their different methods, but they all know that they have to work together if they're going to bring down the Armored War Devils and the RinJyuKen. Now that the enemy has the Seal of Heaven, though, that task just got much more difficult.


	12. A Mysterious Beauty Appears

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

Deep in the Helheim Forest, a human body lay to rot. The Inves avoided it as it had no nutritional value to them.

Once, the body belonged to a man with ambition, who wanted to be known far and wide as a great hero. He took the name 'Ryuubi Gentoku' and rallied people to join him. He made them believe he was an honorable, brave and selfless hero. But the truth was he was merely an imposter with selfish desire, and he became known as 'Nise'. It was an appropriate name for a con man like him. He lived his life as a conniving weasel, so he was fated to die like one.

He first started to go down this path when he stole the real Ryuubi's name and her family heirloom, manipulating others in order to elevate his status. He even tried to gain fame by attempting to become an Armored War God himself but failed. Once all the lies and deceit were revealed, he fled in disgrace, vowing vengeance against Gaim for taking away what he believed to be rightfully his.

He joined the Armored War Devils and became Bloody Gaim. Unfortunately, even with the new power in his hands, he was nowhere near as strong as Gaim who just kept becoming stronger. It was frustrating and humiliating each time he was defeated and forced to flee by the Blue King.

He finally had some decent power when he took Zangetsu's GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed. Unfortunately, it still wasn't enough! He had power, but not the skill to use it! He was still so weak!

He was slain once and for all by Armored War God Ryugen after the Demon Dragon shot him in the head and left his body to rot. It was what he deserved after all the sins he had committed in his selfish pursuit of fame, fortune and glory.

His spirit could not rest and he was bound here, to his body, where he laid to rot. Even his handsome features were no more as Ryugen had blown his head up.

Envy, resentment, anger, hatred...all these emotions festered within his soul. But what could he do? He was just a spirit now. He could do nothing. He would now be forgotten. His days of glory and fame were gone now and this was his retribution.

No! He wasn't going to accept that! He had come so far without giving up! Why should death decide it was time to quit!?

He hadn't left his SengokuDriver or his Blood Orange Lockseed behind. In fact, he still kept the devices on him even after he started using the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed. Thus was his nature and greed for power, never letting go of even a drop of it. The two objects floated into the air, surrounded by a dark malevolent aura.

The Blood Orange Lockseed was not like any other Lockseeds. It had power in and of itself which the villain Bujin Gaim once held. When the Lockseed was brought to the world of the Three Kingdoms, that malevolent power was reborn with it. Now that dark power which remained untouched was finally coming back to life.

The Blood Orange Lockseed unlocked itself.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE!]**

Once it was unlocked, the Blood Orange Armor Part materialized. As it glowed, his body dissolved into a red mist that rose up and entered the opening on the underside of the Armor Part. That was all that it needed to complete its transformation.

The Blood Orange Lockseed locked onto the SengokuDriver and the Cutting Blade came down by itself.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE ARMS! JA NO MICHI ON STAGE!]**

A dark shadowy figure seemed to emerge from the belt as the Blood Orange Armor Part descended and disassembled onto the dark figure's body. A glowing dark figure now stood in the center of the forest, its visor glowing blood red.

Its manifestation had not gone unnoticed. Various Elementary and Berserker State Inves had been drawn by the Lockseed's activation. The entity saw them and he watched as they came onto the clearing, curious.

The dark figure didn't let them come any closer. It spread out its arms, unleashing a mass of tentacles that burst out in all directions. They struck as swift as lightning, impaling each of the Inves before they drew the Inves towards the entity. It devoured them, gobbling them up as it swallowed them whole.

" **Gaim...** " the entity growled. It then sensed the presence of more Inves as they surrounded it. For a moment, the entity gazed at them. Thoughts of revenge were temporarily forgotten as a different urge took its place.

It was hungry.

Taking hold of one of the fruits, the entity brought it to its mouth and took a huge bite out of it, before finishing it off with another. It continued to eat as the Inves watched, just watched, completely intimidated by this entity's presence and power. None dared to confront it. Perhaps they were smarter than people gave them credit for.

" **More...** " the entity growled and turned its gaze back towards the Inves. It licked its lips and started to approach them. They would be its next meal to satisfy its hunger.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Chapter 10: A Mysterious Beauty Appears**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

* * *

Something was happening in Touka Village. Gaim was already prepared for battle as he crouched down with his Musou Saber gripped tightly and held to his shoulder. His Daidaimaru was held in front of him, pointed forward. His eyes darted left and right as his jaw clenched.

Gaim was already prepared for battle as he crouched down with his Musou Saber gripped tightly and held to his shoulder. His Daidaimaru was held in front of him, pointed forward. His eyes darted left and right as his jaw clenched.

His opponents were none other than the Shoku Warriors. They had him surrounded and threatening him with their weapons. Ryugen stood in front of him in his Kiwi Arms. Looking around, he saw Chou'un, Bacho, Kanu, Batai and Gien all glaring at him with their weapons leveled at him.

How had it all come to this?

Kanu suddenly leaped towards him and he twisted his body to block her blow. This left him wide open as Batai and Chou'un rushed at him from the other side. He was struck and sent reeling. Ryugen rushed at him and slashed him repeatedly with the Kiwi Gekirin. Gien smashed him with her kanabo, the Blunt Shattered Bone, violently disarming him and sending him tumbling.

As the Shoku Warriors rushed in to finish the job, Ryofu and Chouhi came out of nowhere and blocked their charge.

"Leave him alone," ordered Ryofu.

"Stop hurting Nagata-niichan!" Chouhi shouted.

Gaim rose to his feet and stepped forward before gently patting Chouhi's head. He did the same to Ryofu as everyone relaxed.

"Ren, Rinrin, it's OK," Gaim told them. "This is training, remember?"

"Oh?" Chouhi blinked and she laughed awkwardly. "Oh, right. It's training."

"You forgot again, didn't you?" Batai deadpanned.

"Of course not!" Chouhi denied.

"You totally did."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Girls, we really don't have time for this," Kanu scolded.

"Aisha's right. Besides, it's not like we can't start over again," Ryugen remarked.

"I forgot too," said Ryofu as she raised her hand.

"You were just doing your job as my bodyguard, Ren," Gaim smiled. "Alright, let's start over." The Shoku Warriors, except for Ryofu and Chouhi, got into their position as they surrounded Gaim. "Ren, Rinrin, you girls can join too."

"OK, Onii-chan!" Chouhi beamed.

Ryofu silently nodded before taking her position as well.

* * *

"Suikyo-sensei, Hoto, how are you both settling in?" Nagata asked as he greeted the two. Both Komei's former teacher and kohai had come to visit Touka Village sometime after the Venom Fists' defeat. Komei had sent them a letter which described the events, so they came to check up on her in person. Sure enough, they were relieved to see that Nagata's little strategist was doing fine.

During their visit, Nagata offered if Suikyo would stay and teach at their local schoolhouse. The teacher asked to be given some time to think over the offer. He didn't force the issue and invited Suikyo and Hoto to attend the Harvest Festival. He could wait for an answer later.

Nagata had invited both Hoto and Suikyo to stay for several reasons. Mainly, he needed a teacher seeing as Kanu would be busy with her duties as a general to teach the children like she used to. They did have some capable teacher in the village, but they were getting old. Also, he knew that Suikyo lived isolated in the mountains. Her only source of company were her students who would eventually leave the nest. Hoto was her latest student and quite intelligent as well.

Perhaps he did have some ulterior motives. Hoto Shigen, like Shokatsuryou Komei, was a great strategist. Maybe he was just trying to stack the deck in his favor while also bringing this family closer together.

"Oh, we're doing fine," Suikyo smiled. All her things had been brought to Touka Village safely. She had agreed to be a teacher here due to her love for children. While the children weren't prodigies like Komei or Hoto, Suikyo should be able to provide them with an education. Reading and writing were the basics, and so were math skills. She should be able to nurture them and maybe awaken another prodigy among the children.

"And the children? What do you think of them?" Nagata asked.

"Oh, the students are learning fine. Except for..." Suikyo hesitated to say.

"You're talking about Rinrin, right?" Nagata guessed.

"She has trouble focusing, unfortunately," Suikyo sighed. "She's not a bad student, she's just very challenging."

"Rinrin's a good kid, and she's busy with training and her duties as one of my generals. She's just a bit playful," Nagata said.

"I know, and it's good that she has so much energy. It's contagious, and the children love playing with her," Suikyo smiled.

"Well, just be patient with her. I know she can be a good student if she tries," Nagata replied. "How about you, Hoto? How do you like it here in Touka Village?"

"It's great! I get to spend more time with Shuri and she tells me what she's done! I hope to be able to do as much as she does for you!" Hoto answered before she blushed and lowered her hat to hide her face.

"You will be," Nagata assured her.

"Hinari is quite capable as a strategist and advisor," Suikyo commended. "If she and Shuri work together, I know they can help you in many amazing ways."

"I look forward to that."

* * *

While it was a peaceful day in Touka Village, that was no reason to be complacent. Danger could unexpectedly appear. In Shoku, this village was both the safest and the most dangerous place to live in. It was dangerous due to the frequent monster attacks it experienced, but the villagers felt safe knowing that they had the Armored War Gods and the Shoku Warriors present to protect them.

A couple of guards stood in front of the village gate while sentries stood on the wall that surrounded the village. There was even a watchtower used by guards to watch for any incoming attacks coming from the distance. A gong would be sounded to ring the alarm and warn the villagers of an attack. It would also summon their ruler, Armored War God Gaim, and the Shoku Warriors to do battle with the threat.

The two guards, Aah and Bie, stood guard and looked intimidating with their spears. They had been given gate guard duty based on the schedule that was drawn up by the strategist, Shokatsuryou Komei. This month, it was their turn.

"You know, the Harvest Festival was fun this year," said Aah.

"It sure was. I even got to shake hands with the Chou Sisters," smirked Bie.

"Come on, Bie. Don't lie. You fainted as soon as it was your turn in line," Aah teased.

"Did not!" Bie denied. He looked ahead towards the path leading towards the village and squinted his eyes. "Hey, Aah. I think I see something."

"Is it a monster?" Aah asked, a bit nervous. He had taken part in the battle that took place weeks ago. He really didn't want to be part of another battle so soon after the last one. It took him some time to recover after he witnessed many of his fellow soldiers being killed in action.

"No, I think it's a woman," said Bie. He was right. A woman was approaching the gate. They would've halted her and asked her to identify herself. However, the two of them were struck speechless. First, it was due to her beauty. She had to be the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. The second reason for their speechlessness was due to the state she was in. She was exhausted and injured, with her clothing ripped in place.

"Miss, are you alright?" Aah asked worriedly. Had this woman been attacked by bandits and managed to escape?

"Please...please help me..." the woman pleaded before she collapsed in front of the gate. Aah caught her before she landed face down on the ground, holding her against him.

* * *

"Place her on the bed right here," Kada instructed the guard who was carrying the injured woman. He gently laid her down on the bed. "There, she can rest."

"Something's happening," pointed Aah as dark energy rippled all over the woman before she changed before their eyes. The red robe and pale mask-like face were immediately recognizable as the woman's true identity was revealed. "It's one of those monsters!"

"Wait! Call Gaim-sama and have him come and see," Kada instructed. The guards left and Kada looked at the unconscious Rinrinshi. "Why did you come here?"

* * *

Nagata sat on his throne. Today, he held court so that the citizens could have an audience with him. He dressed casually as that would help him connect better with the peasant. He would give them advice and solutions to their problems, while Komei and Ryuubi also advised him on the right course of action.

It was just part of the job, it seemed. The problems weren't very serious, at least not to him, but it was still his job to make sure his people could live in peace and harmony.

"Alright, that's the last of them," Komei noted.

"How many was that?" Nagata asked.

"You managed to resolve 56 problems, Nagata-sama. You should be proud of yourself," Komei complimented.

"I know, but what bothers me is what some of the minor lords are asking me to do," Nagata said. "And it's not the marriage proposals this time."

"It's about your new Ryujin Arms," Komei concluded. "They were trying to persuade you to take the throne as the new Emperor."

"I've read some of those letters, and they really want you to be Emperor, Nagata-sama," added Ryuubi.

"That isn't my goal. I didn't obtain this power to conquer or rule. I just want everyone to live in peace, not force them to accept my rule," Nagata replied.

"I'm afraid that it's all just a matter of politics, Nagata-sama. Ever since the tales of how you single-handedly defeated Braco spread, many nobles have been trying to earn your favor," Komei started to explain.

"Believe me. I know. They made their intentions pretty clear with the gifts they sent," Nagata remarked.

"The nobles are just trying to take advantage of your newfound power. If they can convince you to take the throne as Emperor, they can then claim they helped put you on the throne. If they manage to make you look good, they look good too," Komei finished.

"And they think because I'm supposedly the strongest Armored War God, I should be the new Emperor?" Nagata asked.

"A strong ruler is a symbol for a strong nation, and a good deterrent against enemies," Komei remarked. "Invaders from outside our borders would think twice before they attempt to attack. That means our territories will be safe."

"They also expect me to conquer the other kingdoms with my newfound powers," Nagata reminded dryly.

"Yes, that is problematic. That could lead to war," Komei agreed.

Nagata sighed. "Why can't things be simple and not involve politics for once?"

"It's always about politics. Part of being a ruler is dealing with it. Of course, some loyalists of the old dynasty may not accept you. You don't have the Seal of Heaven."

"Because it's in the RinJyuKen's hands," Nagata finished with a sigh. "I bet they wouldn't believe me if I told them I wasn't interested, would they?"

"I'm afraid not. Only a lunatic would refuse the chance to become Emperor."

"Then call me crazy, because I don't intend to become Emperor."

"You should consider it, Nagata-sama," advised Komei. "Being Emperor could give you the power needed to bring about the peace that you've wanted all this time."

"And I think you would make a great Emperor, Nagata-sama," praised Ryuubi.

"Thanks, you two," Nagata smiled before he stood up. "Now, I could use a break and stretch my legs. Sitting on a throne all day is not how I plan to spend today. Thanks for helping me, girls. I don't think I could've handled all those complaints and requests on my own."

While Komei accepted Nagata's praise graciously, Ryuubi beamed. He had praised her after the battle as well and it felt good to have his approval. She really did do well in his eyes and would strive to impress him in the future. The best part was that he finally accepted her feelings. While it meant sharing him with Kanu, Ryofu, Chou'un and Bacho, she was not disappointed. As long as he returned her feelings, she was happy.

"Well, I have to gain experience. You did say that I would one day rule Shoku," she reasoned.

"And you will," he promised. It wasn't the right time. He wasn't trying to hold power. He needed to stay in power, at least until the RinJyuKen were dealt with. Ryuubi was compassionate, idealistic, and also selfless, kind of like him. However, she just wasn't ready to rule just yet. He wasn't going to put her on the throne until the time was right. "You know, I think we should all go grab a bite to eat and-"

"Seiryuoh-sama!" Bie shouted as he entered the throne room. Walking alongside him was Ryofu who had been guarding the entrance.

"Oh, what is it now?" Nagata groaned as he sat back down.

"Nagata-sama, he says it's urgent," said Ryofu.

"There's a Rinrinshi in Kada-sensei's clinic, Seiryuoh-sama!"

Now _that_ got their attention.

"Girls, let's go," ordered Nagata. "Guess we'll be getting that snack later."

"Yes, Nagata-sama!"

* * *

Nagata headed towards Kada's clinic, followed by Komei, Ryuubi, Ryofu, and Gien. It did not take them very long to reach Kada's clinic. In fact, it was very close to the castle. When the doctor saw them arrive, he stood up straight to greet them.

"Welcome, everyone," he politely greeted. "Especially you, Seiryuoh-sama."

Nagata rolled his eyes. "Kada-sensei, you don't need to call me that. We're friends. I gave you my name and everything."

"Indeed, Nagata-sama, but that is your _official_ title. I didn't wish to be disrespectful," he told him.

"So, where's the Rinrinshi?" Nagata asked. Ryuubi had her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it. Gien was at her side, hands gripping her own kanabo and ready to defend Ryuubi. Ryofu also had her guard up. She needed to be ready to defend her beloved lord. Komei, the only non-combatant, stood behind Nagata for protection.

"She's inside and currently unconscious," Kada answered as he pointed towards the room inside.

" _She_?" Ryuubi asked curiously.

"Yes, I'll explain later. Nagata-sama, could your officers wait outside here?" Kada asked.

"Girls, do you mind waiting out here?" Nagata asked.

"I'm going in with you," Ryofu insisted. She was not going to shirk her responsibilities as his bodyguard.

"Can at least one of them come in with us?" Nagata asked. Ryofu would not budge. She took her duties very seriously.

"Just don't start a fight inside, alright?" Kada requested. Nagata had to agree that starting a fight inside Kada's clinic would wreck the place. They had this place built so he could practice in Touka Village.

Ryuubi, Gien, and Komei watched as Nagata and Ryofu followed Kada inside. They were worried. What if the Rinrinshi attacked Nagata? They really couldn't afford to lose him because he was being careless.

Nagata and Ryofu stood, surprised to see a Rinrinshi lying in bed.

"She has no heartbeat, no pulse, but she does have Ki," Kada listed.

"Rinki," Nagata corrected.

Rinrinshi were an advanced form of Rinshi, and thus still undead. Rinrinshi just had the power of speech and access to more powerful techniques compared to the grunts that functioned as mere cannon fodder.

"How did she get here?" Ryofu asked. She didn't trust the RinJyuKen, and the sight of the Rinrinshi unnerved her. One of them had nearly killed her beloved Nagata-sama. She would not allow another to succeed in doing the same.

"Well, she apparently came in the form of a woman. She looked hurt and exhausted. I thought she escaped from bandits, but now I'm not so sure. Something definitely attacked her," answered Kada.

"Kada-sensei, do you have any talismans to contain her?" Nagata asked, frowning in thought. "I wish to question her once she regains consciousness."

"Nagata-sama, don't you want to destroy it?" Ryofu asked.

"I'm not going to kill an opponent that can't fight back," he replied. He was no monster. He was better than that.

"My apologies." Ryofu bowed her head. He caressed her cheek and looked her in the eyes.

"I understand. You're just worried," said Nagata. "Kada, I'll send some soldiers here to help you guard our guest. Inform me if there are any changes, alright?"

"Yes, Nagata-sama," Kada bowed.

* * *

"Nagata-sama, is it wise to leave Kada-sensei alone with that Rinrinshi?" Komei asked as the group headed back to the castle.

"It should be okay," replied Nagata. While Kada was first and foremost a doctor, he was also a capable martial artist. A weakened Rinrinshi wouldn't be able to take him down, much less without kicking up an alarm.

"I know you'll send some guards to help him watch over the Rinrinshi, but what if it breaks out of the containment spell?" she questioned.

"Well, that's why I know just who to send to guard Kada and our guest." He had the perfect candidate for such an assignment. It was someone he trusted, someone he knew would not fail him, someone who would be able to deal with the Rinrinshi if things got a bit too dicey.

* * *

"You want _me_ to guard Kada-sensei and a Rinrinshi that's currently lying unconscious in his clinic?" Karasu asked.

"Can you do it?" Nagata asked.

"Of course I can, Naga-kun. I just think it would be so much easier to just eliminate it," Karasu answered.

"She's not a threat. According to Kada and the guards, she came to the village, injured, exhausted and in need of help. Something attacked her and forced her to run to us for help. I just want to find out what could scare a Rinrinshi so much that she would come to _us_ for help," Nagata stated.

"It could be a trap. The Rinrinshi could be taking advantage of your compassion so it could assassinate you when you least expect it," Karasu argued.

"That's a strong possibility, but I still need to ask her if she knows anything at all. The RinJyuKen have been quiet for weeks and I need to know what they're planning," Nagata told her. This was an opportunity for some Intel which couldn't be ignored. "Can I trust you to watch her until she regains consciousness?"

Karasu thought she should just kill the Rinrinshi and be done with it, but she could not disobey Nagata. "Alright, but I am only doing this for _you_."

"Thank you, Kara-chan," Nagata said as he gave her a brief hug. Karasu smiled as she returned the hug. "Call me on your LockPhone when she wakes up."

"Alright, Naga-kun."

As Nagata left Karasu, her pet crow Po landed on her shoulder. Its red eyes seemed to follow Nagata before turning to look at her. Karasu shrugged and headed for Kada's clinic to help look after their 'guest'.

* * *

When Kada started studying under Master Brusa Li, he learned about the properties of Rinki. It was Ki powered by negative emotions such as fear, anger, sorrow, hatred and envy. It just felt so cold and dark that Kada didn't want to have anything to do with it. The polar opposite of Rinki, however, was called Geki, and it was Ki that was powered by positive emotions like joy, righteousness, courage and love. It was truly amazing how much he had learned from the old sage.

The sage had also given him instructions to stay in Touka Village. He said he would be needed. That was why Kada, of the **WAY OF THE FIVE GRAINS** , had opened a clinic here in Touka Village. So far, the sage wasn't wrong as he arrived to help Nagata recover from the Madoku.

As Kada sat by the bed, his eyes could not leave the Rinrinshi. He was curious about its ability to disguise itself as a beautiful young woman. It even had him fooled until it was forced to drop its disguise due to its injured condition.

"Who or what attacked you?" Kada wondered. Karasu entered the room and he greeted her, "Idunn-sama, did Nagata-sama send you here to guard me?"

"It only makes sense he would send me in case our 'guest' here suddenly turned aggressive," answered Karasu. "So, how is it being kept in place?"

"I placed paper talismans around the bed to form a barrier around it," answered Kada. "Using properties of Geki, I infused the talismans with energy so the Rinrinshi may not escape."

"And you're sure it can't get out?" Karasu asked.

"I'm positive," confirmed Kada. "But it couldn't hurt to have a contingency plan."

Kada had only spoken to Karasu a few times. The first time they had met was when he came to treat Nagata after his unfortunate encounter with Braco. He knew she cared about her cousin and had heard how she lashed out and attacked the physician who had checked him that time.

She was a dangerous person, but Kada had met plenty of dangerous people in his line of work. He still couldn't enter Sou Gi without risking Sousou's wrath.

* * *

"You're crazy," Iori said.

"I second that notion," agreed Bacho.

"I know," sighed Nagata.

"Nagata-sama, what were you thinking?" Chinkyuu asked. She was pretty vocal among his officers, mostly because she didn't have much respect for him before. However, she had warmed up to him. That still didn't stop her from insulting him when she felt it was necessary.

He had gathered his officers at the Round Table to inform them of this current development. The reason they were upset was that there was a Rinrinshi in their midst and it hadn't been eliminated.

"Nagata-sama, you of all people should know what a Rinrinshi is capable of if left unchecked," Kanu argued.

"I left Kara-chan to help Kada-sensei guard her," he pointed out.

"'Her'?" Chou'un raised an eyebrow.

"She showed up disguised as a woman. That's why I'm identifying the Rinrinshi as female," Nagata clarified. There were female Rinrinshi, after all, even if their gender was not so obvious until they transformed.

"You should've just killed it and put it out of its misery," Iori coldly suggested, a notion everyone at the table agreed. Well, almost everyone.

Well, almost everyone.

"Nagata-sama is just doing what he think is best," Ryuubi argued.

"But one of those monsters nearly killed Onii-chan!" Chouhi rebutted. "I say we just kill!"

"Rinrin's right," agreed Batai. "I mean why do we need to keep it alive anyway?"

"For information. Once the Rinrinshi wakes up, I will question her about the RinJyuKen," Nagata told his officers.

Now they understood.

"You want to interrogate her," Chou'un concluded.

"Still seems pretty risky if you ask me," Bacho said as she crossed her arms.

"Kada-sensei has her behind a barrier and she won't be able to break free from it. I'll be fine," Nagata reassured them.

"This is a rare chance for us to learn more about the RinJyuKen. Something we learn today might just help us stop them for good," Komei supported.

"I still don't like it," Bacho frowned.

"If it makes you feel any better, you can all be in the room with me," Nagata said to them. "I mean, what could go wrong?"

"Seriously?" Iori deadpanned. "After everything that has happened, you _still_ say that?"

* * *

"NO! NO! PLEASE, NO!"

The unfortunate bandit choked on his own blood as the sharp tentacle penetrated his throat. Tentacles then wrapped around the bandit's body and he was drawn into the entity's gaping jaw.

The entity looked around the now empty bandit camp. It had devoured all the bandits, but it still wasn't satisfied.

" **Not enough. Need to find her. Need her power.** "

* * *

"It's been hours and it still hasn't woken up yet," Karasu complained. The sun had long set and the Rinrinshi was still asleep. It could be dead, but then it would've turned to dust. It was an undead being, so there was no point in checking its breath and pulse.

She had updated Nagata on their 'guest's' status. She told him there had been no change since he last saw the Rinrinshi. Honestly, Karasu was eager to draw her sword and end it right now. But she remembered Nagata's orders. She would not disobey him no matter how tempted she was.

Suddenly, the Rinrinshi sat up on the bed. Kada jumped to his feet and Karasu reached for her blade. The Rinrinshi turned towards them as its appearance changed, becoming more human-like and female. She was a very beautiful woman, and Kada blushed at the sight of her. It might just be an illusion, but she just looked so beautiful.

"Do you..." the female Rinrinshi spoke slowly, "Have anything...to eat?"

 _What?_

Karasu flipped open her LockPhone to call Nagata. He would want to hear about this.

"Naga-kun, our guest has just woken up. She's also hungry. Bring food."

"Hey, do I know you?" the female Rinrinshi asked. "You seem familiar."

Karasu ignored the Rinrinshi's inquiry and waited for Nagata to arrive. He would bring food, as requested. He never could ignore an order for his cooking.

"Yeah, I think I've seen you someplace before," the female Rinrinshi continued. "Can't seem to remember right now, but I know I've seen you."

"We've never met," Karasu denied.

"Ah, it'll come to me. The easiest way to remember something is to not think about it too hard. Just let it come naturally," the female Rinrinshi said lazily. "By the way, I love your hair and you have a really nice outfit. It really suits you."

Karasu cocked an eyebrow. Why was this Rinrinshi trying to converse with her? Didn't she know she was a prisoner? It was like she wasn't aware of what was going on.

"So, where am I?" the female Rinrinshi wondered.

"Look, just shut up and don't talk to me," Karasu ordered.

"Wow, you sound like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Cranky and grumpy. You should get laid. Works wonders and really helps with stress," the female Rinrinshi replied, ignoring Karasu's order for her to shut up.

Karasu's hand reached for her sword and gripped the hilt tightly. But then she reminded herself that the barrier around the Rinrinshi would just prevent her from harming it. Besides, once Nagata got here, the Rinrinshi was no longer her responsibility.

* * *

"So, how's our guest?" Nagata asked as he arrived at the clinic.

"Oh, Naga-kun! You're finally here!" Karasu greeted happily once he showed up.

"Ah, now you're happy," observed the Rinrinshi-in-disguise.

"Shut up!" Karasu hissed.

Nagata arrived at Kada's clinic, bringing his officers with him. They wanted to meet this new Rinrinshi 'guest' of theirs. Kada advised to not startle their guest. Nagata agreed. This was a chance to use diplomacy instead of strong-arm tactics to achieve a goal. That was why he was carrying a bento box full of rice balls instead of his swords.

Nagata entered the clinic first, followed by the rest of his officers. This was his first time seeing the Rinrinshi in her human disguise. He had expected to see a human girl, but he had not expected to see an incredibly beautiful human girl.

She wore a dark red kimono, but the front was open and hung off her shoulders, nearly exposing her chest. The edges of the cloth were lined with soft brown fur that could tickle with a touch. The sleeves on the kimono hung long, hiding her hands with more fur on the ends of the sleeves. The bottom half of the kimono was also wide open, revealing her legs. She wore lacy dark stockings which were held up with a garter belt just barely hidden. She also wore thigh-high boots with high heels which had a number of belts keeping them tight on her legs. She wore a black choker around her neck with a purple stone in the center. Her face was beautiful with lush red lips and tasteful purple-black mascara on her eyes. Her hair was dark, the front coming over her left eye while the rest was tied back into a bun that was braided up and held with needles. Topping it all off was the beauty mark near her lips adding a bit of sexiness to her face.

Nagata didn't want to admit it out loud, but the Rinrinshi sure knew how to create a gorgeous human disguise. No one would realize she was an undead being.

It was Bacho's reaction that surprised everyone.

"EEEEEEHHHHHHHH!?" Bacho screamed as she saw the female Rinrinshi.

"What is it, Sui?" Nagata asked, surprised.

"I know her! She was one of Zhong's mistresses!" Bacho shouted.

"Nice to meet you again. My name is Nanamomo," the Rinrinshi-Nanamomo-introduced herself with a smile.

"A _Rinrinshi_. I was speaking with a _Rinrinshi_ and I didn't even know it," Bacho muttered.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. When I look like _this_ , men don't tend to ask a lot of questions," Nanamomo winked.

"They certainly wouldn't," Iori muttered in agreement.

"Ano, Nanamomo-san, how did you become so beautiful?" Ryuubi asked. She couldn't help it. She felt envious. It was the same kind of feeling Kosonsan had regarding her own looks.

"Oh, just effective beauty treatment, a healthy diet, and exercise," Nanamomo answered nonchalantly.

"Are you really a Rinrinshi?" Chouhi asked. She had seen a lot of Rinrinshi, a lot of them, but none of them ever looked so human. Nanamomo could pass off as any other person, but she would still stick out due to her unearthly beauty.

"Would it help if I looked something like _this_?" Nanamomo tilted her head as her human features were temporarily replaced by the white mask-like face of a Rinrinshi. The group took a step back in shock before Nanamomo reapplied her human disguise.

"OK, _now_ I'm convinced she's not human," stated Batai.

"So, I was told I would get something to eat," Nanamomo said.

"Um, here," said Nagata as he held the bento box. "Kada-sensei, could you make a small opening in the barrier? Big enough so I can hand this box to her?"

"Actually..." Kada began before he slapped a talisman on the box. "Alright, it should be able to pass through."

Nagata blinked and then held the bento towards Nanamomo. He saw rippling in the air-that was probably the barrier-as it gave way to allow the box entry. Nanamomo got up from the bed and snatched the box from Nagata's hands.

"Thank you," she said as she opened the box and then picked up the first rice ball before shoving the whole thing into her mouth. Her eyes widened with delight as she began chewing before swallowing it. "That was delicious! The best rice ball I've had in ages!"

"If you must know, Naga-kun made them with his own hands," Karasu boasted proudly. She would not hesitate to proclaim her cousin's skills.

Nanamomo took a bite out of another one and praised, "These are really good! Did you really make them yourself?"

"It's kind of a hobby of mine, really, but yeah. I made them," Nagata admitted. He and others observed as Nanamomo continued to eat, and she was not at all alarmed by their presence. As he watched her eat, Nagata was thinking about the questions he planned to ask her, questions that would help them gain valuable information in order to defeat the RinJyuKen.

"So, can we start the questioning?" Nagata asked.

"You mean 'interrogation', don't you?" Nanamomo corrected. "OK, but I'll only talk with _you_. Everyone else will have to leave us alone."

Nagata considered her request and nodded before he addressed the others, "Everyone, could you leave us alone?" Normally, his orders would be obeyed without question. This was not one of those times. Protests rang out from his friends as he attempted to talk them down. Nanamomo watched as she continued to eat, intrigued by their interaction.

"Nagata-sama, you can't be serious!" Kanu cried. "You can't expect us to leave you alone with her!"

"She's a Rinrinshi, Naga-kun. She's the enemy," Karasu stated.

"We can't trust her to be alone with you," Iori said.

"I don't think Nagata-sama has anything to worry about, though," rebutted Bacho. "When I met her, she didn't seem to care about much beyond her own comfort and satisfaction."

"She was playing a role to deceive everyone around her," Karasu argued. "She didn't want to blow her cover so she just pretended to be a mistress."

"Look, she's sitting behind a barrier. She can't break out," Nagata pointed.

"Actually, with enough force, I might be able to break this thing wide open," Nanamomo answered, causing everyone to look at her warily. "What? This is a pretty formidable barrier, but it's not impregnable." She shrugged. "But that's just way too much work for me. Besides, this is a pretty comfortable bed and the food's not so bad."

"See? She won't try anything as long as she gets everything she needs," Bacho said.

"So, you'll just sit there quietly?" Nagata asked.

"If you make me more delicious treats like those rice balls, I'll stay here forever," Nanamomo answered.

"It's getting a bit crowded in here. You should all wait outside." Kada ushered the group out so Nagata could be alone with the Rinrinshi.

"Nagata-sama if anything happens, do not hesitate to call us," Kanu advised.

"Don't worry. I think I can trust our guest not to do anything bad towards me," Nagata replied. It sounded pretty flimsy, trusting a Rinrinshi, but he couldn't help but feel that Nanamomo was different. "Besides, I have my Driver and Lockseeds, just in case."

"Be careful," Karasu advised her cousin. She then stepped towards the Rinrinshi and threatened, "If you do anything to harm him, _anything_ at all, I swear I will make your afterlife a living Hell."

Nanamomo responded by rolling her eyes and yawning, infuriating the dark-haired girl.

"Relax, I won't try to seduce him," Nanamomo said to her, winking and smiling. "But then again, with my looks, would I even need to try?"

Karasu was already reaching for her sword as she was dragged out of the room.

"You really love pushing people's buttons, don't you?" Nagata asked.

"I need to get my entertainment somehow. Anyway, thanks for getting them to leave. I mean, I could've ignored them, but it's hard to eat when people are watching. It gets awkward," said Nanamomo gratefully.

"They're just very protective of me," Nagata replied.

"I can see that. The way you inspire such loyalty is commendable. They'll even go against your orders if it means keeping you safe," said Nanamomo, impressed.

"So can we get started?" Nagata asked.

"Go ahead," prompted Nanamomo as she took another bite out of a rice ball. "But try not to ask questions that are far too personal, OK? A girl has to be allowed to keep some secrets, don't you think?" Nanamomo winked, causing Nagata to blush a bit. She made it hard for him to remember that she was a Rinrinshi right now.

"So I saw the ornament on your forehead earlier. Were you the same Sloth Rinrinshi we met some time ago?" asked Nagata.

"Yes, that was me," Nanamomo confirmed.

"But you sounded male."

"An old trick of mine. I practiced it when I was alive. Really helped when I used to pass myself off as a male."

"And you can assume a human form too. Can all Rinrinshi do that?" asked Nagata.

"Only those who remember what it's like to be human, like the Femme Fatales," Nanamomo answered. "Most refuse to even take on a human form since they have too much pride in being monsters."

"Your leaders can assume human form too?" Nagata was shocked. He had not known that at all.

"It helps them blend in with society and spy on their enemies, or so they say," said Nanamomo. "Personally, I think it's about vanity."

"And what about you?" Nagata asked.

"Oh, why I choose to use a human form?" Nanamomo asked. "Isn't it obvious? Just look at me!"

She had a point there.

"Bacho knew you from Zhong's place," Nagata stated. "What were you doing there exactly?"

"I was part of his little harem," Nanamomo answered.

"Why would you willingly be part of that?" Nagata asked.

"The guy was rich, and he was offering to let me stay in his place as long as I was willing to go to bed with him," Nanamomo answered with a casual shrug. "It seemed like a pretty sweet deal. I had a comfortable place to sleep and access to some very delicious cuisine. He wasn't bad in in bed either. I mean, he wasn't great but he was satisfactory, at least."

That was not the answer Nagata expected. He initially thought the Rinrinshi just wanted to cause trouble in order generate Rinki to absorb, but all she wanted was a roof over her head, a place to sleep, and food to eat.

"So you weren't gathering Rinki?" he asked.

"Oh, I was, just not actively," she answered. "Do you know how much jealousy, greed, and lust was floating around there? There was a whole lot of that floating around the place that I barely needed to lift a finger. I just had to look pretty, service Zhong whenever he asked, and the other girls would be simmering in envy. It's just too bad that it didn't last very long, but nothing lasts forever."

"So you don't actively cause anything to generate Rinki. You just let it happen and collect the energy," Nagata concluded.

"I don't like to work, so I use this form so men can fight over me. Men rarely resist a woman if she's beautiful. Makes life very easy, don't you think?"

' _That's pretty lazy..._ ' noted Nagata mentally. "So you just live off your looks?"

"Like I said, I don't like working," she repeated for emphasis. "Even collecting Rinki is too much of a hassle, but I still gotta do it. As long as I fill my minimum quota, the Femme Fatales would leave me alone."

"That sounds devious," Nagata remarked disapprovingly.

"I don't have a choice. It's in my nature."

"Rinki isn't just a power source. It's something you need in order to live."

"I'm a _walking_ corpse. How do you think I got that way?" she asked rhetorically.

"Who were you when you were alive?" he asked.

"Centuries ago, I was the Emperor's concubine and bodyguard," Nanamomo answered. "You know how it is. My job was to comfort him and keep him safe. It was a pretty sweet job."

"But then you died," Nagata concluded.

"Yeah, killed by another jealous concubine. She poisoned me then hid my body in a well," Nanamomo answered. "I wasn't even dead yet when she put me in that well, so I pretty much drowned."

"That must've been horrible," Nagata sympathized.

Nanamomo shrugged. "It was all in the past. Fate just dealt me a bad hand. Of course, then I was revived and brought back as a Rinrinshi. I was just lucky I remembered how I used to be human."

"You were brought back as a Rinrinshi? You were never a Rinshi?"

"The Emperor insisted that all of his concubines were to be trained in order to protect him. I just picked to study the JyuKen. Since I did, and I was particularly good at it, I changed into a Rinrinshi when I revived instead of a Rinshi. No Chamber of Trials for me."

"What is the RinJyuKen gathering Rinki for? And what do they plan to use the Seal of Heaven for?"

Nanamomo lost the coy look in her eyes as she gave Nagata a sharp and intense gaze.

"To revive Dai Shi-sama," she warned him gravely.

"Dai Shi...?" Nagata questioned. Why did that name fill him with such dread? While it translated to 'Great Death', it really shouldn't have affected him like that.

"Dai Shi, the one who started it all. The founder of the RinJyuKen Akugata. The one who _taught_ the Kenma how to turn their Geki into Rinki. Centuries ago, he fell in battle. However, according to a prophecy, he would one day return. The Femme Fatales have been working towards his revival, gathering a huge abundance of Rinki in order to do so. They did not think anyone would be able to oppose them. But then you all showed up, the Armored War Gods as foretold by the Celestial Chronicles. We were not prepared for that at all. I was actually amazed that there was even anyone who could stand up to us."

"Someone has to stop the RinJyuKen," Nagata justified. That was why they all decided to come back and stay. If they allowed the RinJyuKen Akugata to do as they pleased and run amok, this world would fall into an endless age of darkness and despair that could affect the future.

And if they revived their true leader, who was likely the strongest of them all, then their victory could be assured. And if the RinJyuKen were victorious, innocent people would suffer.

Nagata could not allow that to happen.

"You know, I came during the Harvest Festival," Nanamomo informed him.

"You did?" Nagata asked, surprised.

She answered, "I love festivals. There may not be a lot of negative emotions floating around, but it was fun. What, didn't expect a Rinrinshi to enjoy festivals?"

"No, actually." He honestly couldn't imagine any Rinrinshi being a fan of festivals. Well, maybe Halloween. They were scary enough for it, in his opinion.

"Let me guess. You expected me to prefer a cemetery, right?" she inquired.

"Well..." The thought had come to mind. They were zombies, right? It made senses for a graveyard to be their usual hangout. Although, now that he thought about it, that sounded like a rather rude stereotype.

"Cemeteries are way too depressing for me. I prefer to enjoy my un-life instead of being reminded of it."

"Fair point," Nagata agreed.

"You know, I watched you perform on stage. You're a pretty good singer," Nanamomo complimented him.

"You saw that?"

"Well, I heard the Chou Sisters were going to be there. I'm a huge fan, actually. Didn't know you and the other Armored War Gods were going to be the opening act."

"I was talked into it actually," Nagata replied. Marcus had been quite persuasive and had somehow convinced him to perform on stage with the others. He had been reluctant, but he did not regret doing it. It had been fun.

"Well, it was a great show nonetheless. Hard to believe that was your first time performing."

"Actually, it wasn't. I once performed in a play when I was a kid," admitted Nagata.

"Oh, what kind of play?" she asked.

"...That's not important. We're getting off track." He still had questions to ask her.

He still had questions to ask her.

"OK, so what else do you need to know?"

"What were you running from?" Nagata finally asked out of concern. He needed to know if any of them were in any real danger.

As soon as he asked that question, Nanamomo's entire demeanor changed. She paled as her form flickered, looking unstable. She involuntarily shifted into her Rinrinshi form before changing back to her human form, and then back and forth she went before her form stabilized and settled on her human disguise.

She hugged herself and trembled. She looked completely vulnerable, alarmed and frightened. No, not just frightened. She was _terrified_. For the first time, he saw her as only a woman needing help instead of the undead creature she actually was.

"A... _demon_..." she answered, trembling in fear.

"A demon?" he repeated.

"A demon...with lots of big teeth...and tentacles..." she described.

Nagata's eyes widened. A terrifying demon with huge teeth and _tentacles_? Now he was genuinely creeped out.

"The demon came out of nowhere. When it saw me, it knew what I was. I didn't stick around to find out what it wanted me for. I just knew I had to get out of there. So I ran. It followed me, but it wasn't chasing me. It was like it enjoyed watching me run in fear of it. I didn't look back to see if it was still after me. Even if I couldn't see it, I knew it would be there, waiting for me. That's why I came here. I knew you would be able to help me," Nanamomo explained.

Normally, Nagata would not turn away someone who was in danger. However, Nanamomo was a Rinrinshi. She was the enemy. Her kind had been trying to cause humanity to fall into misery and despair, killing them bit by bit. Their goal was to revive their master and take over the world.

But then, Nagata looked at Nanamomo. She was pleading with him, desperately begging him for his help.

She needed help and Nagata Oda did not turn away anyone who needed his help.

"We'll protect you," Nagata promised.

"Huh?" Nanamomo asked.

"I swear. We're going to protect you," Nagata vowed.

"But why would you?" she asked. She had come to Armored War God Gaim's territory to ask for their protection, she just did not expect to get any, at least not so easily.

"Because you asked for help," Nagata answered. It was just that easy.

"But we're supposed to be enemies, aren't we?"

"We don't have to be. To be honest, I always believed that you all were evil. I'm a bit ashamed of that now, but I'm glad I was wrong. It gives me hope that we can perhaps coexist and become friends."

"Friends..." Nanamomo murmured. "You really think we could be friends?"

"I know we can be friends if we try," Nagata smiled. Nanamomo blushed a bit as he smiled at her and hid her face with her sleeve. She closed the bento box, having finished the food, and handed it back.

"Thank you for the food. It was delicious."

"I'll make you more if you'd like."

"...Thank you."

"Just one last question before I go. Can you tell me the exact location of the RinJyuKen Akugata's headquarters?" Nagata asked.

Nanamomo smile fell before she offered, "If I tell you it's location, I will be marked as a traitor. I've already told you too much."

Nagata reminded, "In your desperation, you came to _us_ instead of your own group. You came to us because you believe we can protect you. If you want our help you need to give us something that we can use. You owe us that much."

Nanamomo looked down to the floor thoughtfully. After a few moments of pondering, she looked up and said to him, "If you manage to protect me from this demon, then I'll tell you where to find the RinJyuKen Akugata."

"Is that a promise?" Nagata asked hopefully.

"You have my word. Please, just don't let it get me."

Nagata considered the deal. There was a chance that Nanamomo might be lying to him and would back out of the deal as soon as he and his friend fulfilled their side of the bargain. However, there was something that compelled him to trust Nanamomo. She had not been dishonest during the interrogation. Her claims might need to be checked for their authenticity but she had been sincere since the beginning. It was like she was too lazy to come up with any lies at all.

"Alright, it's a deal. We'll do whatever we can to keep you safe," Nagata vowed.

"Thank you. When you come back, do you mind bringing me some more food?" Nanamomo replied.

"I'll bring you a bowl of katsudon. It's really good. All my friends love it," Nagata stated. "I'll even throw in some egg rolls."

"That sounds lovely."

"I'll see you later then." Nagata bowed to Nanamomo and left the room. This left Nanamomo alone with Kada and her thoughts. The doctor had been watching the entire interrogation, never saying a word, but he was intrigued by what had happened. He smiled.

"Nagata-sama, you are truly something else," he said.

* * *

"You promised to do **_what_**!?" Iori and Karasu yelled simultaneously.

"I promised we would protect her," Nagata repeated. The Shoku Warriors were once again gathered at the Round Table. Truth be told, they were shocked by what they had just heard.

"Why would you even promise to do such a thing?" asked Karasu. "She's the enemy!"

"Idunn-sama is correct, Nagata-sama. The RinJyuKen Akugata are our enemy. Why make such a promise to one of them?" Kanu asked.

"Because she knows the location of the RinJyuKen Akugata, their _exact_ location. We won't have to waste time looking everywhere for it. However, she'll only give it to us if we protect her," Nagata answered.

"You could've forced her to tell you," Karasu suggested.

"I can't do that, Kara-chan. Besides, she says she's being hunted and that she needs our help," Nagata answered.

"Then you should've just sent her away," Iori coldly suggested. "We don't need whatever's hunting her knocking at our door. We have enough trouble from our enemies without adding more to the mix."

"You didn't see how scared she was. I know Rinrinshi are capable of deceit, but the fear I saw was real, and whatever she's afraid of is coming. It's a threat we need to deal with, and we'll deal with it together," he told Iori.

"So in exchange for information, you granted her asylum," Karasu concluded.

"She needs help and so I can't turn her away. Besides, we still managed to get a lot of useful information out of her," Nagata said.

Karasu gave her cousin a cold accusing look. "Naga-kun, are you sure you didn't just make that promise just because she happens to look very beautiful in human form?"

Everyone looked at Nagata expectantly for his answer. His eyes darted left and right as everyone stared at him, waiting for an answer. Nagata gulped nervously but composed himself.

"No, I didn't promise to protect her because of her appearance. I made that promise because she looks like she's in trouble and needs our help. I'm not about to turn my back on someone who needs help just because she's different," he stated confidently.

Iori quipped, "Did you rehearse that speech?"

Nagata did not appreciate the tone. "I'm serious. She needs help. That's all the reason I need."

"Dai Shi..." Komei murmured. "That was the name she mentioned?"

"Yeah, it was," Nagata confirmed. "She says Dai Shi founded the RinJyuKen Akugata but he died a long time ago. The Femme Fatales are trying to revive him, using the Rinki they've been gathering."

"So they're trying to bring back their leader..." Chou'un frowned.

"That doesn't sound good," Bacho added.

"Relax, everyone! Nagata-niichan will be able to beat this Dai Shi guy!" insisted Chouhi optimistically.

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe we can end all this without fighting. Maybe we can try to make peace with them," Nagata said.

Everyone was silent. They stared back at him as he waited for their response. He did not expect them to obey his orders absolutely, not without good reason. They did have good reason to question him right now.

"...Are you serious?" Iori asked in disbelief. "After everything that has happened, after everything they've done, you want to make peace with them?"

"I spoke with Nanamomo. She doesn't want to hurt anyone. There's a possibility not all the Rinrinshi agree with the current situation either. If we can reason with those like her in the RinJyuKen Akugata, maybe even get them on our side, then we can stop this war for good," Nagata answered.

"I think that..." started Ryuubi. "I think Nagata-sama might have the right idea here."

"Aneue..." Kanu responded.

"We've been fighting the RinJyuKen for a couple of years now, but it still isn't over. How long will this continue? Perhaps it doesn't make sense, but maybe we could make peace with the RinJyuKen, help dissenters like Nanamomo-san take their place in order to avoid a war," Ryuubi said.

"These aren't people, Touka. They're _monsters_ ," argued Iori before he addressed Nagata, "What you're proposing won't work."

"Airen, I think I have to agree with Nagata-sama," Kochu spoke up, surprising her husband.

"Koi, these monsters can't be reasoned with. They're pure evil and desire nothing more than our utter annihilation," argued Iori.

"I don't want Riri to think that violence is always the answer. We should strive for more peaceful solutions," Kochu replied.

"Koi..." Iori softly responded.

"We need to stop the fighting somehow," Kochu urged.

Nagata concurred, "I really think it's time for a diplomatic approach. We've been fighting and fighting and what do we have to show for it? So many people have died already, Iori. If there's a chance we can end this without any more casualties, I'm willing to take it. I just ask that you give me your support. All of you."

The Shoku Warriors quietly looked to each other uncertainly, but it was Kanu who broke the silence.

"I'll stand with whatever decision Nagata-sama makes," swore Kanu loyally.

"Me too!" Chouhi agreed.

"You have my support as well, Nagata-sama," Ryuubi beamed.

"I'll draw up plans for the negotiation," Komei volunteered.

"Are we seriously considering this?" asked Bacho.

"Sounds interesting," Chou'un smirked.

Ryofu simply smiled and gave a nod.

"It's time we ended all this fighting," said Kochu as she looked to her husband. "What about you, Airen?"

"I still don't think it's entirely possible, but crazier things have happened. Alright, I'm backing you up on this. But remember, Nagata. If anything goes wrong, it will be on your head," Iori warned.

Karasu took a deep breath, looked at Nagata, and said, "Alright, I'll help too. Honestly, this is a crazy idea, but I'm willing to do this for you, not for that creature."

"Her name's Nanamomo," Nagata corrected.

"Whatever, I don't care," Karasu shrugged.

"Thank you, everyone," Nagata smiled gratefully.

"OK, so now that we've agreed to try and make peace with the RinJyuKen Akugata, let's talk about what's hunting down our guest. Did she say what exactly we'll be dealing with here?" Iori asked.

"I wasn't able to get much out of her. She only mentioned it being a demon with tentacles," said Nagata.

" _Tentacles_? Really?" Iori had not expected that and did not like the sound of it.

"Yes, tentacles," Nagata confirmed and the girls shivered at the mention of tentacles. It just sounded so wrong. "With teeth. Lots of sharp teeth and tentacles."

"Well, I guess we have our work cut out for us then, huh?" Batai asked, trying to lift the mood.

"Why are tentacles so bad?" Chouhi asked.

"Rinrin, you don't want to know." Komei shook her head. Nagata looked suspiciously at his strategist, wondering what she had read. He would need to have to talk with her again about her choice of reading material.

* * *

 **KRC: MERRY CHRISTMAS!** Nanamomo once more makes an appearance, and it's a major one. Something is after her, and it's a relentless predator. What is it and what does it want with her? Also, we find out a little more about the RinJyuKen Akugata. Anyway, please read, review, follow and fave for more content. Oh, and don't forget to check out my **Romance in the Shoku Kingdom** side story.

 **TFP:** Well, we see the capricious Nanamomo again, but now it seems things have gone downhill for her. A new demon stalks the lands and I think we can all guess who or what it is. Nagata's given his vow to protect Nanamomo from it, but from how she is reacting it's not going to be an easy fight. Still, if it pulls through, will this be the beginning of the end for the RinJyuKen Akugata?

* * *

Nanamomo was lying on the bed in Kada's clinic, just minding her own business and chilling out. It felt nice just to lounge around and relax. She was technically a prisoner, but the accommodations weren't all that bad. She even got good food courtesy of Nagata Oda himself.

And he promised to protect her. Now she could finally relax.

Suddenly, her eyes popped wide open as her skin turned as pale as her true appearance and cold sweat beaded on her body. The calmness she had was now replaced by absolute terror as she began to panic.

"No...He's found me..."

Kada looked to her. "Excuse me?"

"He's found me!" she yelled as she jumped out of bed and pounded on the barrier frantically. "HE'S FOUND ME! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! HE'S COMING FOR ME!"

"Relax, Miss. You're perfectly safe!" Kada insisted, trying to calm her down.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! HE'LL KILL US ALL! YOU NEED TO LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Nanamomo screamed hysterically.

"Oh dear," Kada frowned. He needed to call Nagata and the others. This sounded urgent.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI #10A: MERRY CHRISTMAS IN SHOKU**

"Have you noticed that Nagata-sama and Iori-sama have been acting odd lately?" Kanu asked Ryuubi.

"Now that you mentioned it, I saw him the other day speaking with the maids. When I approached them, they immediately went silent and Nagata-sama made an excuse that he needed to leave," Ryuubi recalled.

"This sounds suspicious," Gien frowned.

"Enya-chan, I'm sure Nagata-sama has his reasons," Ryuubi defended.

"But it still sounds suspicious," insisted Gien.

A maid then approached them. "Kanu-sama, Gien-sama, Ryuubi-sama, you have been summoned to the throne room."

* * *

The officers of the Shoku Faction were gathered in front of the throne room's doors. The doors opened to let them inside and their eyes widened as they saw a banner hanging from the ceiling.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Iori and Nagata cheered. The girls were shocked and confused.

"Christmas?" echoed Ryuubi and Kanu.

"Come inside. We're having a party for you girls," Nagata invited. The throne room had been decorated and there was a table covered with food and drinks.

"Nagata-sama, what is all this?" Kanu asked.

"It's a holiday from our homeworld," Nagata answered.

"Once a year, we come together with friends and family to celebrate Christmas. It's a day to celebrate peace and show generosity towards each other," Iori explained.

"Speaking of which..." Nagata went over to the pile of presents and took a couple of boxes which he handed over to Ryuubi and Kanu. "These are for you."

Kanu opened her box and she saw a beautiful pair of jade earrings. Ryuubi's box contained paper talismans, but these were the special musical paper talismans which contained the Chou Sisters' songs. It was an entire collection.

"Nagata-sama, these are lovely!" gasped Kanu.

"And these are all the Chou Sisters' songs!" Ryuubi exclaimed.

"Merry Christmas, girls," Nagata winked.

"This is for you." Iori held a box to Kochu and she opened it to reveal a beautiful necklace. He also gave Riri a new doll which she loved.

The other girls received presents as well. Batai got a new pair of ornamental daggers, Bacho received a cool good luck charm, Chouhi received a miniature tiger figurine, Komei received a new book and Gien herself received a dakimakura with Ryuubi's image on it.

"It's so you can hold her as you sleep," Iori whispered to Gien cheekily as the two-toned haired girl blushed in embarrassment but she loved the gift nonetheless.

Ryofu and Chinkyuu weren't excluded either as they also received their own gifts. Ryofu received a new brush she could use to brush her pet's fur. Chinkyuu received a new coat since hers was looking rather worn out.

"Merry Christmas, Kara-chan," Nagata said as he gave her a new scabbard.

"Oh, Naga-kun," Karasu smiled as she accepted the brand new scabbard for her sword. "This is so sweet. Thank you."

"Well, your old scabbard just seems to need replacing," he replied.

Smiling happily, she kissed her cousin on the cheek.

* * *

Iori and Nagata both watched the snow fall as they stood on the balcony. They had done a lot of preparations and spent a lot of money on those gifts. They even gave the soldiers a bonus in their salary.

"How does it feel?" Iori asked.

"Worth it," smiled Nagata.

"It does feel good to give back to our friends after everything they've done for us," grinned Iori.

"It sure does. We should do this next year too," Nagata suggested.

"Let's make it a tradition. Now, let's go back in. The party's still going on."

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #10B: EATING CONTEST**

"Alright, everyone! Let's begin today's eating contest! As usual, we have Chouhi, Bacho, and Ryofu!" Batai said as she introduced the competitors. "And we have a new contender: Nanamomo!"

Chouhi, Bacho, Ryofu and Nanamomo sat down at the table.

"And today they will each attempt to finish 100 fried rice balls!" Batai announced.

The plates of fried rice balls were served up, the food items piled up high in front of each of them.

"And go!" Batai announced.

"Done," Nanamomo revealed her empty plate. The other competitors gawked at her. The contest had just started and she was already finished? How was that possible?

"Wait, what? How!?" Bacho exclaimed.

"So fast!" Chouhi was amazed.

"Looks like we have a winner! It's Nanamomo!" declared Batai.

"Congratulations." Ryofu shook Nanamomo's hand.

"Thank you," Nanamomo accepted.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #10C: THE ONE WITH THE OSTRICH**

"We're lost!"

"We're not lost!"

"Alright, then where are we?"

"Not where we're going, that's for sure!"

"Well, that clears it up! We're lost!"

Kayu watched with a bored expression as her two traveling buddies, Hideyoshi and Kenshin, argued back and forth. Kenshin, who was holding the map, insisted they weren't lost. Hideyoshi claimed otherwise.

They weren't going anywhere if these two kept arguing.

Kayu lost patience and yelled, "You two, stop arguing! Gridon, you help me set up camp! It's already getting dark! Kurokage, you try to figure out where the hell we are!"

Kayu dragged Hideyoshi away.

"Make sure there are no monkeys!" Kenshin yelled. He looked at the map while mumbling, "Damn monkey. Furry freaks with hands for feet. Unnatural."

He lowered his map and saw a couple of girls taking the path. They were pretty cute looking and he smiled.

Maybe he did need to ask for directions, but he would have to do it without sounding desperate. He pocketed the map after folding it, half of it sticking out of his pocket as he approached the ladies.

"Hello, ladies," he greeted, trying to be suave. "Mind helping a guy out? I think I'm a little lost, so could you tell me how to get to the closest town?"

He reached for the map but found his pocket empty. "The hell?" That was when he turned and found himself looking straight at an ostrich who was looking back at him.

It was also holding his map in its beak.

"My map!" Kenshin shouted.

The ostrich suddenly took off with the map.

"Hey! Get back here!" Kenshin yelled as he chased after the ostrich. It didn't manage to get far as he caught up to it, leaped on its back, and grabbed its neck.

"Give it up! I said give it up! Spit it out!" Kenshin demanded loudly as he tried to wring the ostrich's neck, but it was a lot tougher than he thought. He reached for the map while holding tight as the ostrich tried to shake him off. The ostrich finally managed to throw him, tossing him on his ass before it fled. Kenshin could do nothing but sit in the dirt and watch as the ostrich disappeared into the distance.

Kenshin screamed at the fleeing ostrich, "Damn you, big bird! When I find you again, I'm going to cook you up like fried chicken and have you for dinner! Do you hear me!?" Of course, the ostrich had already run too far to hear him and he could only mutter in frustration, "They're so not going to believe this."

At that moment, Hideyoshi and Kayu showed up again.

"There you are," Kayu said.

"We just set up camp nearby. Hey, where's the map?" Hideyoshi said.

"An ostrich took it!" Kenshin claimed.

He was right.

Neither of them believed him to this day.

 _ ***In Gkoh's "Hunt of the Armored War Gods" story, Kenshin claimed an ostrich stole their map. This is how I pictured it happening.**_


	13. Bloody Vengeance Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **KRC: The first chapter of the new year. Please, enjoy.**

* * *

Aah and Bie stood guard outside the village's main gate. While it was a dangerous job, due to the frequent monster attacks, it was still an honor. The two of them were just laughing merrily at a joke told by one of them to avoid any anxiety.

Suddenly, Aah went silent.

"Aah, what's wrong?" Bie asked, only to become speechless as blood began to spill out of Aah's mouth. His eyes rolled up into his head. Bie gasped as he saw a sharp black tentacle protruding out of his friend's stomach before something yanked him into the shadows.

"AAH!" screamed Bie. He yelled to the sentries, "Sound the alarm-grk!" Another tentacle suddenly shot out and pierced him right in the stomach. Bie grabbed hold of it, trying to pull it out, but it was too slippery as his blood stained it. He too was yanked off his feet, screaming, as he was pulled into the shadows, meeting the same unfortunate fate as Aah.

The wall sentries loudly rang the alarm gong as the creature showed itself.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 11-1: Bloody Vengeance (Part 1)**

* * *

Nagata was leaving the Round Table room with the others when he sensed _something_. It was dark, inhuman, and utterly hostile. He took out his glowing Ryujin Key. It was like it was telling him something.

Suddenly, Nagata held his head in pain as he leaned against the wall. Violent visions were assaulting him.

 _He saw something massacring his guards. There was blood everywhere, and something with tentacles was devouring them._

"Nagata-sama, are you OK?"

Nagata looked to meet Ryuubi's worried gaze. He was supporting himself against the wall, his forehead sweating as his heart thundered in his chest.

The alarm gong rang loudly. It only rang when a serious threat was present.

Now he understood the meaning of that vision.

"Everyone, we're under attack! Let's go! Move, move, move!" Nagata furiously commanded as he led everyone out. Karasu eagerly grinned as she followed.

Finally, there was something fun to do tonight.

* * *

After dealing with the guards, the horrific entity made its way into the village, seeking its prey. When it arrived in front of Kada's clinic, the being sensed the presence of its prey.

"Stop where you are!" Nagata shouted at the creature as he arrived with the others.

" **That voice...** " the thing hissed hatefully. It turned towards the voice to see Nagata and his Shoku Warriors, ready for battle. Right now, all they saw was an unknown threat. The entity was, after all, a huge mass of black writhing tentacles standing on two legs. They could also see huge sharp teeth framing the opening for the writhing limbs.

"Nagata-sama, what is that thing!?" Ryuubi cried.

"I don't know," Nagata answered. He recognized the creature from Nanamomo's description. Now he understood why it terrified her so much. It truly was a horrifying sight, like some Lovecraftian Horror.

"I smell blood, Nagata-sama," Ryofu said as she pointed at the entity. She had a sharp sense of smell and could detect the stench of blood coming from the creature. Nagata could see the bloody trail it left behind as well. How many had it killed before it got here?

"The guards..." Nagata whispered as he realized that more innocent people had died tonight. He quietly cursed himself.

Much to their surprise, the entity spoke to them. None of the Shoku Warriors had expected the thing to be able to talk.

" **Hello, everyone**. **It's so good to see you all tonight. I was planning to pay you all a visit, but since you all came out here, we can finally get this party started.** "

"Who are you? _What_ are you?" Nagata demanded.

"Naga-kun, why are you wasting time to ask it questions?" Karasu demanded. "Let's just kill it."

" **He's just trying to be polite. He's always trying to show off how** _ **good**_ **he is, how much** _ **better**_ **he is** ," the entity spoke spitefully.

"Do I know you?" Nagata asked.

The entity's tentacles shot forward to strike. Instantly, Karasu, Ryofu, Kanu, Bacho and Chou'un leaped to Nagata's defense. Their weapons sliced through the limbs, causing the creature to recoil and pull back.

" **And you hide behind your women. How pathetic** ," the entity mocked in disdain.

"Seriously now," Nagata started again as he put on his SengokuDriver. "Who are you?"

" **I guess you can't recognize me when I'm like this. Allow me to put away my tentacles.** "

The entity retracted its tentacles. The frame of teeth also receded before the opening slammed shut. Everyone's eyes widened as they saw the creature without the appendages blocking their view.

The entity was a near perfect copy of Gaim. He wore the same blue Ride Wear suit, but his armor was blood red with black flame-like tribal markings. The markings were present on the visor as well. The head crest also had some red in it, and the mouthplate's center was pitch-black.

" _ **I**_ **am Armored War God Gaim. But you can call me Bujin Gaim.** "

"No, it can't be," Iori murmured. He couldn't believe his eyes as he saw Bujin Gaim. He was supposed to be dead. He knew because he had killed the weasel himself.

" **Hello again, Gaim and the Shoku Warriors.** "

"Nise..." Nagata frowned as he identified the entity. "What have you done to yourself? What have you become?"

Bujin Gaim threw his head back and laughed.

" **I am no longer the man you know as 'Nise.' I am the embodiment born from his hatred, anger, resentment and envy, all aimed towards you, Gaim!** " Bujin Gaim claimed. His chestplate opened up like a bifurcated jaw filled with sharp teeth, revealing the mass of tentacles from earlier before he slammed his chestplate shut again.

"Nanamomo-san warned us about you," Nagata said.

" **So, she is here. I won't have to waste more time hunting her down** ," Bujin Gaim smiled.

"You're not human anymore..." Nagata accused.

" **Humanity is such a worthless existence anyway** ," Bujin Gaim retorted. **"Now, don't stand in my way. I have some business to take care of, but afterward I'll come back to you.** "

A long time ago, Nagata had a nightmare about Bujin Gaim killing everyone he loved. When he found out Nise was the one who became Bujin Gaim, his fear eased. There was just no way Nise could do what his nightmare had shown him. The man was too weak and too much of a spineless coward. Nagata could handle him easily. However, this monster was something else. It was like Nanamomo had said. Nothing human could do the things like he had done. He was no longer Nise. He was now only a monster in Rider form. In short, he was a demon.

If Bujin Gaim was a demon, then it was up to the Kamen Riders to put him down, permanently.

"Kara-chan! Iori!" Nagata commanded as he took out his Lockseed with Iori and Karasu doing the same.

 **[ORANGE!]**

 **[BUDOU!]**

 **[RINGO!]**

"Henshin!"

 **[LOCK ON!]**

 **[SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]**

 **[HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]**

 **[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]**

The three Riders transformed, equipped with their armor and weapons. Bujin Gaim looked at the Shoku Warriors who were just as ready to fight as well. Oh, he had something else planned for them.

" **So be it then,** " Bujin Gaim decided when he saw that the Shoku Warriors weren't going to back down.

The back of his armor opened up, and vines shot out before they dug into the ground. The Shoku Warriors and the three Riders tensed anxiously, wondering what Bujin Gaim was doing. All of a sudden, two dozen humanoid figures sprouted from the ground, standing to Bujin Gaim's left and right.

They had black bodies, with the same patterns on their bodies that resembled Bujin Gaim's, only in blood red. They didn't have faces, but they did have evil looking eyes that looked like flames. They had black vines wrapped around their forearms and shins. They looked dangerous.

These were Bujin Gaim's **Black Sproutmen** footsoldiers.

"What?" Gaim gaped. Now he knew the first Bujin Gaim could not do _that_.

" **Go** ," Bujin Gaim ordered as he sent his Black Sproutmen charging towards the Shoku Warriors. Drawing his Musou Saber and connecting it with his Blood Daidaimaru, Bujin Gaim stalked towards Shoku's three Armored War Gods.

Ryugen was the first to react as he fired at Bujin Gaim with his Budou Ryuhou, only for Bujin Gaim to deflect the shots and then dart forward to slash him across the chest. Immediately, Gaim and Idunn reacted, swinging their swords down on him. Bujin Gaim managed to parry with his Musou Saber Naginata before he unleashed hell as he attacked Gaim furiously, slashing him repeatedly and with enough force to almost break through his armor. Gaim collapsed, and Bujin Gaim stood over him, ready to cleave him in half.

"No!" Idunn screamed as she lunged towards Bujin Gaim. He saw her coming out of the corner of his eye and his chestplate opened to let out his tentacles. They slammed into her and knocked her to the ground. Gaim used this chance to climb back to his feet and swing at Bujin Gaim, but the tentacles returned and blocked the swords before striking Gaim in the chest. The tentacles then punched, literally punched, Gaim repeatedly before grabbing him around the waist and smashing him to the ground.

" **I remember how you used to do this to my previous self. Do you know how humiliating it was? Now you do** ," Bujin Gaim said as he stared down at Gaim. The Ultimate Sword was completely helpless as Bujin Gaim now had him at his mercy.

Meanwhile, the Shoku Warriors were dealing with Bujin Gaim's Black Sproutmen. The creatures were just mindless grunts, cannon fodder that only functioned as a distraction. However, they were still quite formidable. Regular weapons would have no effect on them, but Bujin Gaim did not know that the Shoku Warriors' weapons were blessed by Kada, making them just as effective against dark beings as they were against mundane foes.

Kanu was with Chouhi, the two of them were cutting down the Black Sproutmen as black ichor splattered the ground as they fell. Chouhi watched in disgust as the creatures dissolved into goo before her eyes, but Kanu instructed her to focus on the fight. The redhead nodded and yelled out a war cry as she twirled her Viper Spear, slicing through the assembled Black Sproutmen.

Nearby, Ryuubi was wielding her sword against the Black Sproutmen. They were just mindless beings who lacked any skill. However, she still feared they would overwhelm her. Surrounded, she darted her eyes around and yelled as she spun. The edge of her Dragon Claw Sword sliced through their throats. Ryuubi panted, surprised by her handiwork when a Black Sproutmen lunged at her from behind. Gien intercepted and smashed it to the ground.

Batai, Bacho, and Chou'un were skillfully taking down the Black Sproutmen with their spears. The three young women were as formidable as they ever were. They've taken down all manner of opponents, ranging from bandits, undead Rinshi, and now mindless beings summoned by an evil Armored War Devil.

Kochu didn't even need to move from her spot as she nocked her bow and repeatedly fired her arrows from it with the speed of a machine gun. She was fast as she, within seconds, shot ten. The Black Sproutmen fell as she aimed for their vital points. They dissolved into black goo upon death and Kochu could smell the horrible stench whenever they died. It was quite unpleasant.

Ryofu was using devastating and crushing blows with her Heaven Piercer. She also knocked them down with her fists, their bodies splattering onto the ground as they turned into goo. Spinning on her feet, she sliced through them with her weapon, focused and not showing any emotion at all. While she would prefer fighting at her master's side, she needed to fight alongside her comrades-her sisters-in-arms-right now.

Bujin Gaim mocked Gaim, " **Is this truly the limit of your power? I am disappointed in you, Gaim.** "

Gaim gritted his teeth and activated his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**_

At the same time, Ryugen performed an Arms Change.

 **[HAI~! KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!]**

The Demon Dragon threw a Kiwi Gekirin, and it sliced through the tentacles holding Gaim. He rolled away and equipped himself with the Genesis Core before locking in the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!]**_

Bujin Gaim blocked the Sonic Arrow as Gaim swung it down. Pulling on the string, Gaim charged up a shot before releasing it. The arrow flew past Bujin Gaim's head, but it curved around before striking him in the back. Bujin Gaim grunted as he stumbled forward but managed to recover quick enough to block Gaim's Sonic Arrow. He then jumped back as a pair of Kiwi Gekirin were about to slice into him. However, they made a turn and before he could dodge they sliced his arms clean off.

"Gotcha," Ryugen smiled triumphantly.

Bujin Gaim looked at the stumps but then he just shrugged as tentacles shot out of the stumps. They grabbed hold of the severed limbs and retracted, pulling them to the stumps and reattaching them.

"He can regenerate!" Gaim realized.

Bujin Gaim glared at the two Riders.

Wait a minute. _Two_? Where was the third one?

Suddenly, a Helheim portal opened up behind Bujin Gaim, and Idunn jumped out of it to land a kick on the back of his head. He stumbled forward, and she used his head as a springboard to jump up into another Helheim portal. Grunting, he saw a Helheim portal open up in front of him before Idunn lunged towards him.

His hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck before he threw her to the ground. She rolled away as his foot came down to crush her head. Idunn rose to her feet and blocked with her shield. Nearby, Gaim began firing his Sonic Arrow as Ryugen threw his Kiwi Gekirin. They scored a direct hit as Bujin Gaim staggered back. The two then joined Idunn and surrounded Bujin Gaim.

Bujin Gaim growled as he hit his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade twice.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE AU LAIT!]**

Energy had gathered along the blade of his Blood Daidaimaru and his Musou Saber before he spun around to perform a circular slash which repelled the three Riders. He then rushed forward and targeted Gaim. Instantly, Bujin Gaim disarmed him as he tried to strike with his Sonic Arrow before Bujin Gaim proceeded to slash at him furiously. Sparks blasted violently off Gaim's chest with each slash before Bujin Gaim thrust his blade into Gaim. In a flash, Gaim was force-reverted into his default Orange Arms as he fell to the ground. He tried to get up, but Bujin Gaim put his foot down on his head to keep him down.

" **Now...** " Bujin Gaim's chestplate opened up to reveal sharp teeth and vine-like tentacles, " **Become one with me.** "

"Nagata!" Ryugen yelled as he rushed towards Bujin Gaim and pushed him off Gaim. Bujin Gaim growled and glared at the Demon Dragon.

" **So you wish to go first? Alright then! I'll oblige!** " Bujin Gaim yelled as his tentacles shot out and grabbed hold of Ryugen. He struggled, but it was pointless as Bujin Gaim lifted him up before holding him to his face.

"Let me go, you freak!" Ryugen shouted as he tried to struggle free.

" **I remember what you did. I should thank you. I wouldn't be what I am today if it weren't for** _ **you**_ **.** "

Gaim watched in horror as Bujin Gaim dragged Ryugen into his body and his chestplate slammed shut.

"Iori! No!" Gaim screamed as Bujin Gaim belched.

Kochu was shooting at the Black Sproutmen when she heard Gaim scream her husband's name.

"Airen!"

A Black Sproutmen lunged towards Kochu, but Gien saved her.

"Focus, Shion!" Gien said.

Kochu shook her head as she wiped her tears away. Her husband had fallen, but she would not fall here. Riri still needed her, so she was not going to let herself get killed. She would let Gaim avenge him and put Bujin Gaim down.

But that didn't mean she could not help him out a little.

Gaim fell to his knees as he just saw Bujin Gaim swallow his friend whole.

" **Are you angry, Gaim? Do you hate me? Then come and take your revenge** ," challenged Bujin Gaim. Gaim clenched his fists and drew his Musou Saber. He repeatedly fired at Bujin Gaim as the demonic Rider laughed at Gaim's suffering and rage. Losing Ryugen like that hurt and he wanted to avenge his friend. Bujin Gaim merely deflected the bullets with his Musou Saber Naginata.

Bujin Gaim decided to pour salt on the wound. He summoned the Budou Ryuhou in his free hand and fired at Gaim. Gaim was struck by the shots and sent backpedaling. His eyes widened as he saw the Budou Ryuhou in Bujin Gaim's hand.

"What?" Gaim gasped.

" **This is a new ability I gained, Gaim. I can mimic the powers and weapons of the prey I devour** ," Bujin Gaim explained. He demonstrated again by replacing the Budou Ryuhou with one of Ryugen's Kiwi Gekirin and sending it flying towards Gaim. Quickly, Gaim crossed both his Daidaimaru and Musou Saber together to shield himself, but the Kiwi Gekirin broke through his guard and knocked him down.

Bujin Gaim rushed towards Gaim when all of a sudden a trio of arrows came flying towards him. They hit him directly in the chest. Normally, arrows would have no effect on the Armored War Devil, but these arrows were fired from Kochu's blessed Hurricane Peng. They pierced through his armor, and Bujin Gaim screamed in shock as he staggered back.

Gaim acknowledged Kochu's help and got back up to fight Bujin Gaim. The Armored War Devil pulled out the arrows and growled and turned to see Gaim coming for him. Sparks flew as Gaim slashed at him with his Musou Saber, but Bujin Gaim parried the blow before he knocked Gaim down once more with a slash. He stood over the Blue King of Shoku; his weapon raised to cut him in two.

"Leave him alone!" Idunn yelled as she slashed at Bujin Gaim, sending him backpedaling away from Gaim. She continued her assault, but he quickly blocked her subsequent sword swings with his blade. He addressed her, looking her straight in the eye.

" **Maybe you can offer me a better challenge** ," Bujin Gaim said coldly. Idunn glared back as they broke apart before they dueled with their swords. She should be able to defeat Bujin Gaim. He was supposed to be a pathetic worm who was just copying her beloved Naga-kun.

However, this was no longer the same Bujin Gaim. He was more skilled and more powerful. He first knocked the Apple Reflecter shield out of her hand and then he disarmed her as he forced her to drop the Sword Bringer.

He wanted to hurt Gaim, and he had by devouring Ryugen. Now he was about to do it again by taking out his beloved cousin.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE SQUASH!]**

Bujin Gaim leaped into the air and executed a flying sidekick aimed at Idunn. Without her sword and shield, she was defenseless and took the attack straight to the chest.

"Kara-chan! No!" Gaim shouted as Karasu went tumbling out of the smoke. Bujin Gaim's chestplate opened again, and he wrapped his tentacles around Karasu, dragging her into the maw in his chest before it slammed shut. "Kara-chan!"

" **She was delicious as well** ," Bujin Gaim quipped. He then summoned Idunn's Sword Bringer to demonstrate his power once more. " **Oh, and look. A new weapon added to my collection.** "

Gaim angrily forced himself back to his feet. His body may hurt all over, but now he wanted to destroy Bujin Gaim with all his might.

"You monster, I'll destroy you!" Gaim took out the Kachidoki Lockseed. He was ready to take this monster down for devouring his friends.

" **Can you truly destroy me, Gaim?** " challenged Bujin Gaim as he patted his chest. " **And kill your friends in the process?** "

"What?" Gaim froze.

" **I may have absorbed all the others I devoured, but I'm keeping them alive. However, they may not last very long. You might be able to save them, but if you kill me, you'll kill them too.** "

Gaim trembled as he clenched his fist tightly. With a shout of rage, he activated the Kachidoki Lockseed.

"I'LL JUST HAVE TO FORCE YOU TO RELEASE THEM!"

 **[KACHIDOKI!]**

As the Kachidoki Armor Part descended, Gaim's Orange Arms Armor Part vanished. It was in that instant when Bujin Gaim struck. His chestplate opened, and his tentacles shot out. Gaim received a violent lashing. Without his armor, the Ride Wear couldn't protect him, and he dropped to the ground, forcibly reverted to his civilian form. The Kachidoki Lockseed landed next to him. One of Bujin Gaim's tentacles grabbed hold of the Kachidoki Lockseed and pulled it towards him.

Like he had done with Ryugen and Idunn earlier, Bujin Gaim swallowed the Kachidoki Lockseed whole. His armor glowed as he went through a rapid metamorphosis. His armor morphed, to Nagata's horror, into a very familiar shape.

" **So this is your power, isn't it?** " Bujin Gaim questioned as he now wore the Kachidoki Arms, only it was blood red instead of its usual orange, befitting Bujin Gaim's color scheme.

"No way..." Nagata gaped in disbelief. He witnessed in horrified fascination as his enemy wore his Kachidoki Arms.

Bujin Gaim laughed as he felt the power from using the Kachidoki Arms.

" **Yes...YES...YES! Now,** _ **this**_ **is the power I deserve! With this power, I will become emperor! And once you're gone, I will make all of your servants into my personal sex slaves!** **They will serve me in bed, whether they want to or not and I'll devour them once they bore me. Kanu will especially be my favorite and I will have her crying out my name as I violate her, over and over!** "

"You bastard!" Nagata yelled angrily.

" **It's your fault for being so weak, Gaim!** "

Bujin Gaim advanced threateningly towards Nagata with the DJ aimed the weapon at Nagata and was about to pull the trigger when the Green Dragon Crescent Blade suddenly knocked the DJ Gun out of Bujin Gaim's hand. He followed up by landing several strikes to his armor. Bujin Gaim soon found himself surrounded by the Shoku Warriors.

" **So, you've managed to defeat my Black Sproutmen. Impressive** ," praised Bujin Gaim before he coldly added, " **My quarrel isn't with you girls. Stay out of this.** "

"You ate our friends! Did you think we will let you off for that!?" Bacho snapped.

"You devoured my husband as well!" Kochu growled as she leveled her bow and arrow on him. "I'll have your head for that!"

" **So, you all wish to die as well?** " Bujin Gaim sneered. " **Then I'll grant you your wish!** "

He lashed out with the Kachidoki Bata, sending them staggering backward. They recovered quickly and attacked. Chou'un and Bacho came at him from the sides, but he blocked them with his flagpoles. He was left wide open as Chouhi and Ryofu rammed their weapons into his chest, sending him staggering back.

Bujin Gaim felt something heavy, smashing against his back. It was Gien with her Blunt Shattered Bone kanabo. The girls continued to attack, landing brutal strikes. Kochu fired her arrows at him, intent on avenging Iori. Gaim could only watch as they attacked him, but he knew that they weren't completely hurting him.

A blazing red aura radiated from Bujin Gaim's body, and it erupted from his body, sending the girls flying. The arrows that were sticking out of him disintegrated as well. The girls landed roughly on the ground, injured by the attack.

Bujin Gaim approached the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter, brandishing his Musou Saber threateningly.

" **He desired you, Kanu Unchou. Did you know that? Of course, you did. But you rejected him. Such a shame. Now, I only desire for you to die!** "

"Aisha!" Nagata struggled to his feet and lunged towards Bujin Gaim. He grabbed hold of Bujin Gaim's arm to stop him, but he was thrown roughly to the ground.

" **Just shut up and watch! You'll get your turn soon!** " Bujin Gaim spat at Nagata as he prepared to kill Kanu. Nagata could only watch helplessly as Bujin Gaim raised his sword to cut Kanu down.

Who would save her now?

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim was sent flying by a blow that came out of nowhere. Nobody even saw it coming, but they were shocked to see who had just attacked him.

It was Nanamomo.

Bujin Gaim got back up to his feet as he saw her.

" **Oh, so it's** _ **you**_ **. I was wondering where you ran off to.** "

Nanamomo wasn't ashamed to admit that she was lazy, and she could also admit to herself that she was a bit of a coward, but she wasn't going to let Bujin Gaim have his way any longer.

She knew she couldn't ask for help from her superiors. In the RinJyuKen Akugata it was all about the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, the strong would live while the weak would perish. She would have been forced to confront this demon one way or another.

So she went towards someone who would help her, who also happened to be the closest. She knew Gaim would protect her.

Nanamomo knew how to manipulate men. They always wanted something from her. So, by playing her cards right, she could get anything she wanted. Nagata was no different. He wanted information from her, so she offered him what he wanted in exchange for protection.

She was prepared to run when the fighting began. While Bujin Gaim was distracted, she would get as far away from him as possible and hope Gaim defeated him. But then, he had done something nobody else had. He had offered her his friendship.

As a Rinrinshi, she was empathic and could sense no deception in his words. He was sincere.

And now he was fighting to protect her.

"I'm not running anymore," vowed Nanamomo.

She knew she could run no more. She had to protect her friend.

Also, if Nagata died, he couldn't make her any more delicious food.

" **Good. Saves me the trouble of hunting you down** ," Bujin Gaim grinned sadistically.

Nanamomo narrowed her eyes. The normally tired look she wore vanished as an intense flame blazed behind her eyes. She crossed her forearms in front of her face, gathering Rinki to perform her technique.

" _Jujin...Jashin...Hen!_ "

Rinki burst out of Nanamomo's body as she morphed into her Rinrinshi form before finally changing into her Beastman form. She maintained her slender form with black plate armor over a sleeveless red short kimono. She wore thigh high boots with steel toes and a leather belt with a sloth's head in the center. Over her forearms was a pair of furred gauntlets with long sharp claws. A helmet that looked like a sloth's skull encased her head. Long shaggy hair like a sloth's fur flowed out the opening in the back.

"RinJyu Sloth-Ken no Senshi! **Nanamomo**!" Nanamomo declared as she assumed her battle stance.

Bujin Gaim strode towards her, but she suddenly vanished from sight. Nobody saw the attack coming as Nanamomo appeared out of nowhere and struck Bujin Gaim in the chest, sending him staggering. He swung at her, but she ducked before she began to pound him in the chest with a combination of precise strikes. She was punching him, hitting him with her claws. Sparks blasted off with each strike before she jumped and landed a kick to his jaw.

"She's fast!" Bacho exclaimed as everyone gawked, especially Nagata. Nanamomo was a _Sloth_ -Ken practitioner. Sloths weren't supposed to be fast!

Yes, Nanamomo was quick, but Bujin Gaim knew better. What appeared to be speed was merely an illusion. He just needed an opening and a chance to strike. Unfortunately, Nanamomo was not giving him any. He had hunted her down ever since he learned of her existence and her power. She had been running from him as he chased after her. She barely escaped the last time and had come to hide here.

She did not expect any mercy; she did not expect any help, but she had to try something in her desperation. She was just so shocked when Nagata offered to protect her.

She wasn't about to let them get killed for her. She might be a Rinrinshi, and she might be lazy, but she used to be a noble warrior, and she still had honor, even if her tainted it.

Nanamomo's Slowdown Field deactivated. It was her ultimate power, but it couldn't last very long, and it left her both tired and hungry after each use. This Bujin Gaim knew, and he grinned as she looked exhausted. He backhanded her and knocked her to the ground.

" **Tell me, why did you decide to come face me now?** " Bujin Gaim asked.

"Because his cooking is delicious," she answered.

Bujin Gaim scoffed at Nanamomo's reason and stepped towards her as he took out the DJ Gun. He was going to blow her brains out.

Suddenly, Nagata grabbed hold of Bujin Gaim and attempted to pull him away from Nanamomo.

"Leave her alone!"

He couldn't allow Bujin Gaim to do what he wanted anymore and fought against the pain to stand up against him.

" **What do you think you're doing, Gaim?** " Bujin Gaim demanded as he attempted to push Nagata away, but he was holding firmly.

"She's under _my_ protection," Nagata said resolutely.

" **Are you serious? Are you seriously going to protect an undead freak like her? Why? She's nothing but a monster** ," Bujin Gaim scoffed.

"You're the freak, Nise! You're the only monster standing here in front of me right now!" Nagata snapped.

" **DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT!** " roared Bujin Gaim as he smacked Nagata with the DJ Gun and sent him sprawling to the ground.

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu shouted. Bujin Gaim looked up and saw the Shoku Warriors rushing at him to stop him. He fired at their feet, stopping them in their tracks. Then he stomped his foot, and black vines shot out of the ground. The vines wrapped around the Shoku Warriors, entangling them. He smirked at the display before returning his gaze towards Nagata.

" **Tonight, the story of the Peerless Azure Dragon King of Shoku ends** ," said Bujin Gaim as he hit his Cutting Blade, pushing the blade down over his Blood Orange Lockseed thrice.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE SPARKING!]**

" **Now** **enjoy your sweet Hell, Armored War God Gaim!** " Bujin Gaim screamed as he pulled the trigger. A blast of blood red energy burst from the DJ Gun, rocketing straight towards Nagata. Without his armor's protection, this attack would prove to be fatal. The Shoku Warriors screamed, but Nagata could not hear them as the lethal energy blast roared towards him.

There was an explosion which shattered the silence of the night. The Shoku Warriors screamed as the blast engulfed Nagata. Bujin Gaim shouldered his DJ Gun, satisfied by the results of tonight. He managed to defeat Gaim and now he would devour Nanamomo and take her power for himself.

The smoke and embers died. Bujin Gaim expected to see Nagata's body in pieces. He expected to see gory remains lying all over the place. What he did not expect to see was Nanamomo standing up with her arms spread and smoke rising from her body. She stood between Nagata and Bujin Gaim, her back facing the former as she had shielded him while she glared at the latter.

"Nanamomo-san...?"

And then her knees buckled as she collapsed. She landed on her side as she groaned.

"Nanamomo-san...?" Nagata crawled over towards Nanamomo to cradle her in his arms. "Nanamomo-san, why...why did you do that?"

The female Rinrinshi's Beastman form vanished, and she once again looked like the exotic beauty that Nagata had spoken to hours earlier. Dust began to fall from her body as her body started to break down.

"You said...you said we could be friends. Were you telling the truth?" Nanamomo asked.

"I wasn't lying. I really wish we could be friends," he answered sincerely.

"I'm glad..." she smiled. "Come closer..." Nagata obliged, and she whispered into his ear. His eyes widened as she closed her eyes and smiled. "Good...Now...we're friends..." Those were her last words before she pushed him away and painfully rose to her feet. With the last of her strength, she broke into a run, Rinki overflowing from her body as she shed off her human disguise and unveiled her Rinrinshi form.

"Nanamomo-san!" Nagata yelled.

"I'M NOT RUNNING ANYMORE!" Nanamomo screamed as she wrapped her arms around Bujin Gaim. She held on tightly as he struggled to break out of her grip.

" **Let me go! Let go of me, you worthless bitch!** " Bujin Gaim demanded. She ignored him as her body began to glow.

"Thank you...and goodbye...my friend..." Nanamomo quietly said before she exploded, taking Bujin Gaim with her.

"NANAMOMO-SAN!" Nagata screamed.

The smoke cleared to reveal that Nanamomo's kamikaze move had failed. The dust in Nagata's hands was all that remained of Nanamomo.

" **Such a shame. If she was going to commit suicide, she might as well have given me her power, but she killed herself for nothing. Such a waste too. Her power would've been useful to me** ," remarked Bujin Gaim apathetically before he started to laugh.

Nagata clenched his fists as he heard such callous words. The cruel, mocking laughter angered him further.

"Quit laughing..."

" **Hm?** "

"Quit your laughing, you bastard! How dare you laugh at her sacrifice!? She was my friend!"

" **Your 'friend'? What kind of joke is that?** "

Nagata angrily rose to his feet.

"It's no joke! She was my friend! We may not have known each other long, but she sacrificed herself for me! That makes her my friend, and now you're just laughing at her sacrifice!? That's unforgivable! I thought I hated you before, but now you've just crossed the line, _Nise_."

" **Do not call me by that name!** "

"Or what? Are you going to kill me? You've been trying to kill me all this time, but you've only failed!"

" **Don't compare me to that weakling!** "

"You'll always be a loser, Nise. _Always_. Coming back from the dead hasn't changed that."

" **SILENCE!** "

Bujin Gaim aimed his DJ Gun at Nagata and fired, but Nagata managed to get out of the way. It happened so fast, as he seemingly blurred to avoid the shot. Normally, Nagata should not be able to evade that shot at such close range, not unless his armor enhanced him. However, the Seal of Heaven had done something to him. It had changed him.

For a moment, Nagata's eyes flashed violet as they crackled with blue electricity. He focused his gaze on Bujin Gaim. He knew what he had to do.

 **[ORANGE!]** _ **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

His hand gripped the Cutting Blade and pushed it down, opening up his Lockseeds.

 _ **[MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!]**_

As his armor formed over his body again, a weapon materialized out of thin air in a flash of violet light. It looked like a shotgun rifle. Gaim did not question it as he took aim and fired. Bujin Gaim was hit several times in a row as sparks exploded rapidly from his chest as he yelled out in pain.

The futuristic shotgun rifle vanished soon after. Taking out the Ryujin Key, he ran towards Bujin Gaim as the Armored War Devil continued to fire upon him. Due to his enhanced speed and reflexes, Nagata swiftly dodged the shots before he reached his target. As he got closer, he hit the Ryujin Key's activation switch.

 **[RYUJIN!]**

In a flash, the Ryujin Key burst with light. The light coalesced into the shape of the Ryujinmaru. Dodging another shot, Gaim darted forward and stabbed the light sword into Bujin Gaim's chest.

"EAT THIS, YOU ASSHOLE!" Gaim shouted as he buried the blade in his demonic counterpart.

At first, nothing seemed to happen as the light sword vanished leaving Gaim holding only the Ryujin Key. However, Bujin Gaim then began violently convulsing as he staggered back from Gaim.

" **W-What have y-you done to me!?** "Bujin Gaim demanded hysterically.

"You're about to find out," Gaim responded ominously.

" **What!?** " screamed Bujin Gaim hysterically. " **WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, GAIM!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?** "

His screaming continued as his armor started to crack. The cracks grew and spread, leaking out light. Bujin Gaim screamed as his entire upper body exploded, his tentacles burst out, flailing around madly. A radiant dragon burst out, along with three beams of light: red, green and orange.

The red and green beams landed near Gaim. As the glow around the figures faded, Gaim smiled when he saw that they were Iori and Karasu.

And they were still alive.

"Iori! Kara-chan!" shouted Gaim jubilantly.

"Ugh, that was a disgusting experience," Karasu groaned as she picked herself up. Iori shivered as he stood up with her.

"I...saw...horrible things in there..." trembled Iori as he tried to get ahold of himself. "It was dark...and cold..."

"It's OK, Iori. You're safe now," Gaim reassured his friend.

The orange beam flew towards Gaim and snatched it out of the air. He then smiled as he saw that he had gotten his Kachidoki Lockseed back.

Meanwhile, Bujin Gaim regenerated as his body started to reform. However, with the Kachidoki Lockseed no longer in his possession, he reverted to his default Blood Orange Arms.

" **Impossible!** " Bujin Gaim shouted at the three Riders. " **It's impossible! How can you be this strong!?** "

Gaim answered, "Well, you should've realized it by now. Breaking expectations is what we Riders do best." He addressed Iori and Karasu, "Are you two still able to fight?"

"Of course, Naga-kun. I want to pay this fiend back for making us swim in his disgusting digestive juices," Karasu replied with a sadistic grin.

"Do you even have to ask?" added Iori.

"Then let's do this!" Gaim declared as he unlocked the Kachidoki Lockseed.

 **[KACHIDOKI!]**

"Henshin!" Karasu and Iori called out together.

 **[RINGO! LOCK ON! COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]**

 **[YOMOTSUHEGURI! LOCK ON! HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

The metal fruit-like Armor Parts landed on Iori and Karasu, materializing their Ride Wear suits and forming their armor. Iori had transformed into his dark Super Form, Ryugen-Yomi, while Karasu turned into Idunn. Their Armor Parts disassembled, folding onto their bodies to reveal their helmets.

Gaim loaded his Kachidoki Lockseed into his SengokuDriver and hit the Cutting Blade. His Jimber Grapefruit Arms vanished to reveal his Ride Wear suit.

 **[LOCK ON! SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]**

The Kachidoki Arms Armor Part dropped on top of Gaim, first altering his Ride Wear suit before its parts shifted to form his Kachidoki Arms Armor.

"The Demon Dragon of the Underworld, Armored War God Ryugen-Yomi."

"I fight for my desires, Armored War Goddess Idunn."

"Arriving on Stage, Armored War God Gaim."

" **What are you up to, Gaim?** " Bujin Gaim demanded.

Gaim locked eyes with Bujin Gaim as he answered, "You're about to see my real power. Watch carefully."

With a click of the release switch, Gaim activated the Ryujin Key.

 **[RYUJIN!]**

A glowing portal opened up above Gaim, and a brilliant dragon of light was called forth from the portal. The summoned dragon seemed offended by Bujin Gaim's presence and began to attack him viciously. Bujin Gaim yelled out as the dragon struck him with its tail before it flew back and slashed him with its claws, knocking him back as he was helpless against it.

Once it was satisfied, the dragon turned around to face its summoner and locked eyes with Gaim.

 **[LOCK OPEN! RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

Bujin Gaim had to shield his eyes from the resulting glare and demanded, " **What...what is** _ **this**_ **!?** "

"Ascending to the Throne. Armored War God Ryujin Gaim, On Stage."

 **[RYUJINMARU!]**

Ryujin Gaim's Ryujinmaru was called automatically as Ryugen-Yomi and Idunn flanked him, wielding their signature weapons. Gaim's helmet crest flashed as he raised his free hand to it and took hold. He detached it from his helmet before he turned and threw it. The crest flew like a boomerang, cutting apart the vines that held the girls before it flew back into his hand so he could reattach it to his helmet. He then turned to face Bujin Gaim again.

Bujin Gaim glared down Ryujin Gaim, not happy with what he saw. He had recovered from his previous freak out and recomposed himself. He needed to remain calm. He was under the influence of his former self's emotions. That would not do. That would not do at all.

" **So, it looks like you still got some fight left in you, Gaim.** "

"Ever since the fire of Rakuyo, I made a promise to myself that I will not let another tragedy happen while I have the power to stop it," swore Ryujin Gaim as a fire blazed in his eyes. Karasu and Iori had sacrificed themselves to protect him. Fortunately, he managed to save them. However, when Nanamomo sacrificed herself, she had lost her life instead. "You made me break that promise. I won't forgive you for that."

" **You're doing this because of that Rinrinshi. That's so pathetic.** "

"No, you're the pathetic one!" Ryuubi snapped angrily. The Shoku Warriors were gathered together to support Ryujin Gaim with Ryugen-Yomi and Idunn. "Nagata-sama is ten times! No, 100 times! Dammit, he's 1,000,000 times the man you are! All his life he wanted to be a hero so he can make a difference! He has done so much for others, without asking for anything in return! And people follow him not because of his power, but because of his ideals!"

"No matter how much power you acquire, if you lack the ability to care for anyone but yourself, you only stand alone and become a king of nothing," Kanu added.

"Nagata-niichan beat you before, and he'll beat you again!" Chouhi confidently declared.

"Hear that? You may have power, but I got friends. Now, imposter, let's dance on my stage!" Ryujin Gaim declared as lightning burst from his body. The Ryujin Key began to shine, which did not go unnoticed by Ryujin Gaim. "Huh?"

' _Turn the key three times_ ,' he heard a voice in his mind instruct.

Trusting the mysterious yet soothing voice, Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key three times.

 **[OGRE ARMOR! VIPER ARMOR! DRAGON ARMOR!]**

Beams of red, green and blue light with the heads of dragons shot out of the Kachidoki Lockseed and flew towards the three girls. Kanu gasped as she was hit first and enveloped in a blinding green light.

"Aisha?" Ryuubi gasped as the blue light hit her.

"Aisha-neechan? Touka-neechan?" questioned Chouhi in confused before the red light hit her as well.

When the lights subsided, Ryujin Gaim's eyes widened at the transformation the girls had undergone. They all wore armor, with helmets that left their faces exposed.

Kanu now wore green samurai armor with a matching helmet that had a pair of ox horns extending from the sides. Golden ogre faces hung from her shoulders as shoulder pads. The chestpiece fit well over her front, and black leggings covered her legs. Green and gold bracers covered her forearms as matching boots covered her legs. She confidently held her signature weapon, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade against her shoulder.

Kanu had just transformed into **Armored Ogre Warrior Kanu Unchou**.

Chouhi's armor was just as magnificent. It was red with gold trim. The broad pauldrons extended from her shoulders and she had matching bracers strapped to her forearms. Her legs were protected by armor as well with gold bands around the ankles. Her helmet had a simplistic design, but it also had a viper-like motif with lightning bolt-shaped decorations on the sides.

Chouhi had transformed into **Armored Lighting Viper Chouhi Yokutoku**.

Ryuubi's transformation was also as impressive as her sworn sisters'. A white bodysuit covered every inch of her body. She also had silver plating on her forearms and shins. The blue body armor covered her torso, with a golden dragon face on the chest and broad shoulder pads as well. The white helmet that covered her head possessed a head crest that looked like two sabers that were joined at the hilt. Her Dragon Claw Sword hung from her hip, and she also wore a long red scarf.

Ryuubi had transformed into **Armored Dragon Fighter Ryuubi Gentoku**.

The Shoku Warriors were just as stunned by this development. Out of everything that had happened tonight, this was not something they had expected. Ryujin Gaim was just as stunned at the three girls' transformation, but then he quickly accepted it. His Ryujin Key had once again revealed to him a new power, one that would greatly benefit them in the fight against evil.

"Wow! So awesome!" Chouhi awed at herself.

"I can feel so much power coursing through me," Kanu admired.

"I feel like Nagata-sama has blessed me!" gushed Ryuubi.

Nodding to each other, the three sworn sisters stepped forward with their new armor and weapons.

" **What...what is this!?** " Bujin Gaim demanded incredulously.

"What you are seeing is the birth of a new legend, born from the spirit of sisterhood! They are the **Armored Trinity!** " Ryujin Gaim declared.

 **To Be Continued in Bloody Vengeance Part 2...**

* * *

 **KRC: Part 1** is all about Bujin Gaim's personal vengeance. Next, in **Part 2** , Nagata will be avenging Nanamomo. Bujin Gaim's going to learn why it's a very bad idea to mess with Nagata's friends, and it will be a _very_ painful lesson.

 **TFP:** I'm so sad that Nanamomo died. She was one of the Rinrinshi I liked. Bujin Gaim really went on the warpath in his desire for revenge. A real demon through and through. He got his licks in, but now Nagata has all his power back, and he's going to bring the pain on him with his thunder and lightning powers.

 **BL92:** I gotta admit, this new and improved Bujin Gaim is a way better villain than Neasel when he still alive as Bloody Gaim. That guy is a real monster with some mad skills and he even went on the wildest rampage for his personal vendetta against Gaim. Now that's what I called a hardcore villain to the 11th power. Also for some reason, I'm gonna miss that hot sloth girl even though she's just a minor character since her debut in S206. Bujin Gaim may be a powerful villain, but deep down he's still the same conniving Neasel we all know and hate so much. And now, he's about to feel the wrath of Nagata when he's about to bring down the thunder on him...TWICE!

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #11A: RYUUBI...PREGNANT?**

Everyone was present at the dinner table, except Ryuubi.

"Did Aneue really say she didn't want dinner?" Kanu asked.

"Yes, that's what she said," Kochu confirmed. "Such a shame too. Nagata-sama and I prepared such a fabulous spread."

"Yeah, she's missing out on a delicious meal," Nagata added in agreement.

"Did she say why she didn't want any dinner?" Iori asked.

"Maybe Touka-neechan has a tummy ache," Riri suggested, worried.

Kanu recounted her sworn sister's recently odd behavior, "She was sighing, with her hands on her stomach. I asked her about it, but she told me not to worry."

"Maybe she does have a stomachache and doesn't want to bother us," suggested Nagata.

"I did ask her if she wanted me to make her any medicine, but she told me she wasn't sick," added Komei, also worried.

"I can't imagine not eating for a whole day," said Chouhi, concerned for her big sister too. It just wasn't like Ryuubi to refuse a meal prepared by Nagata or Kochu.

"If she's so worried about her stomach, even though she claims she's not sick..." started Bacho.

Batai interjected, "Could she be pregnant?"

Immediately, everyone at the dinner table gasped.

Kanu shot out of her seat while Komei's face turned beet red.

"There's no way! There's no way! Aneue can't be pregnant!" Kanu denied vehemently.

Kochu spoke thoughtfully from her own experience, "When I was carrying Riri, there were times when I had terrible cases of morning sickness and didn't want to eat anything."

"Then that means...does that mean...is Aneue...?" Kanu couldn't make a coherent thought or sentence.

Kochu, realizing what she had done, gently tried to calm Kanu down and said, "That doesn't necessarily mean she's pregnant, Aisha."

"Yeah, there has to be another logical explanation," added Nagata helpfully.

"Is Touka-neechan going to have a baby?" Riri asked excitedly.

"If that was true, then who's the father?" Chou'un asked. As soon as she said that, everyone turned their heads and aimed their gazes on the only unmarried man in the room.

Nagata blinked and asked, "...Why are you guys looking at _me_ like that?"

"Don't you have anything to say, Nagata?" Iori asked accusingly.

"Iori, you're scaring me," Nagata shuddered as Iori glared at him.

"Well, Touka did say she wanted to have your children, so it only makes sense that-"

"You think I'm the father!?" Nagata yelled as he slammed his hands on the table and stood up. "NO WAY! IT'S NOT ME! YOU GOT THE WRONG GUY!"

"Well, it's not me. I would _never_ be unfaithful to Shion," Iori defended. "And who else does Touka have her eyes on but you?"

"Come on! There has to be a good explanation for this!" Nagata cried.

"Nagata-sama, I think you may need to take responsibility for this," quipped Chou'un.

"Aisha, you believe me, right? There's no way I got Touka pregnant!" Nagata looked to his girlfriend.

"I think we should calm down," said Bacho, being the voice of reason. "Maybe Touka's pregnant, maybe she has a bad stomachache, we can't know for sure. So we can't accuse Nagata-sama of doing something like that."

"Thanks, Sui."

"But if you did get Touka pregnant, you have to be a man and take responsibility. My father taught me that a man who leaves a pregnant woman to fend for herself is the worst kind of scum."

"Trust me; I didn't get Touka pregnant. We haven't even done _that_ ," said Nagata.

"Done what?" Riri and Chouhi asked in unison.

"I'll explain when you're older," Nagata and Iori answered simultaneously.

In the end, they found out that Ryuubi wasn't pregnant. She just got a stomachache from eating some spoiled menma after starving herself with her new diet. She admitted that she just wanted to lose some weight.

Although, when told that everyone thought she might be pregnant and Nagata was the father, she seemed oddly thoughtful. Was she wondering what it would be like to have Nagata's baby?

Who knows?

* **Idea from Bloodyredrose1994, based on Shin Koihime Musou Otome Tairan**

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #11B: HOW** **NOT** **TO PURGE**

The school was in chaos. The Purge was in effect, and until the final bell rang, the students and teachers could all kill each other. Already, there had been many fatalities. Fortunately, a group of friends had taken shelter in a classroom and were boarding up the doors to prevent anyone from coming inside.

The group consisted of Yue, Ei, Miyabi, Hideyoshi, Ren, and Kenshin.

"OK," Hideyoshi said as he hammered in the last nail. "That should keep those maniacs away."

"Ei-chan, don't you think that machete is a bit much?" Yue asked her friend uncertainly.

"I just saw a kid wipe out the entire Kendo Club with a fucking chainsaw. I'm not taking any chances," Ei defended.

"Well, in two hours, this will all be over," Hideyoshi said as he checked his watch. "Whose idea was it to have an annual Purge anyway?"

"The Headmaster," Ren deadpanned.

"Ah, that makes sense. Think he's related to Monokuma?"

Kenshin stood up and paced back and forth. "Guys, you guys, I just realized something. It's the motherfucking Purge! We can do whatever we want!"

Ei didn't like where this was going. "Oh no, Kenshin. Please, don't you go crazy! I don't want to have to kill you! Please don't give me a reason!"

Kenshin neared Ei threateningly as she trembled in fear while everyone else watched.

"Ei...I'm going to eat your lunch!" Kenshin declared as he opened up Ei's bento lunch box and began scooping her lunch into his mouth.

"Wait, what?" Ei blinked.

" **Purge** , baby!" Kenshin tossed the empty lunch box away. "See? I just littered!"

"OK, first of all, eating Ei's lunch isn't illegal. Neither is littering," Hideyoshi pointed out.

"Technically, it's OK," Miyabi added.

"Speak for yourself," Ei mumbled. "You'll still get fined for it."

"And now I'm smoking!" Kenshin boasted as he lit a cigarette.

"Kenshin-kun, maybe you should sit and calm down," Yue suggested.

"I don't have to listen to you! I'm smoking cigarettes!" Kenshin blew smoke in her face, and she coughed.

"OK, now that's just rude!" Hideyoshi snapped as he gently patted Yue's back.

"It's **THE PURGE** , buddy! Get with the program! I can do whatever I want, and nobody can stop or judge me!" declared Kenshin.

"We can still totally judge you," said Miyabi.

"And stop you if we wanted to," Hideyoshi said.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm going to _fuck_ this cantaloupe!" Kenshin decided.

"Wait, what!? No! No, no, no!" Hideyoshi protested.

"I'm gonna fuck a melon!" Kenshin shouted back.

"Don't you fuck it!" Ei objected.

"I'm gonna do it!"

"Don't you do it!" Hideyoshi and Ei screamed.

"Please, Kenshin-kun! Please don't do it!" Yue begged as she covered her eyes.

Kenshin was carving a hole in the melon with his knife.

"I'm gonna carve a nice hole for my dick!"

"It's not illegal, but it's still horrifying!" Miyabi screamed.

"Just don't spit in it!" Hideyoshi advised in a panic, but Kenshin ignored him and did it anyway, even flicking his tongue around the hole he made. "Oh, God!"

"I'm going to cut your dick off!" Ei threatened as she brandished her machete. "I WILL CUT IT OFF!"

"This melon is about to fucked by yours truly!" Kenshin pulled down his pants.

Ren had enough. She got behind Kenshin and snapped his neck. He fell forward, with his pants down, and the melon crushed under him.

"Oh, thank you, Ren," said Hideyoshi in relief.

"He was getting annoying," said Ren.

* **Based on a CollegeHumor Skit**


	14. Bloody Vengeance Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

" **What...what is this!?** " Bujin Gaim demanded incredulously.

"What you are seeing is the birth of a new legend, born from the spirit of sisterhood! They are the **Armored Trinity!** " Ryujin Gaim declared.

Idunn glowered with jealousy as her cousin granted Kanu, Ryuubi, and Chouhi power. It just wasn't fair. However, she reined in her emotions. Now was not the time to erupt with jealousy. Later, once everything was over, she would have to take her frustration out on their dolls. She had some new knives to test out on them after all.

" **Then I'll just destroy you and take that power for myself!** "

Bujin Gaim charged at Ryujin Gaim with his swords. Ryujin Gaim made no obvious move to defend himself. As the blades struck Ryujin Gaim's shoulders, Bujin Gaim was treated to a pleasant sight as sparks exploded and rained down around them. It took a moment for Bujin Gaim to pause in realization once he noticed Ryujin Gaim was not showing pain.

Then all of a sudden, Bujin Gaim was electrocuted, and he recoiled in shock. Smoke rose from his body and weapons as he twitched from the electrical charge. Ryujin Gaim's fist slammed into Bujin Gaim's face, throwing him to the ground.

"You know, Nise. You just never change. All it takes for you to get carried away is a small taste of power. Then you think you're invincible. But no more! We're finishing this right here, right now! Tonight, this is our stage!"

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 11-2: Bloody Vengeance (Part 2)**

* * *

Bujin Gaim recovered from the blow and picked himself up just as Ryujin Gaim swung his sword, sending Bujin Gaim staggering with a brutal slash across the chest. Bujin Gaim growled and charged back at him in retaliation, determined to beat his nemesis.

Ryujin Gaim parried each of Bujin Gaim's strikes before spotting an opening to land a blow. A slash across Bujin Gaim's chest caused him to backpedal before another slash knocked him back even further.

Bujin Gaim couldn't comprehend it. His power was superior to Ryujin Gaim's! It had to be! However, it seemed that Ryujin Gaim had become stronger than him.

Nagata Oda infuriated Bujin Gaim. Not only did the upstart manage to gain the reputation and prestige **he** so rightfully deserved, but Nagata also got the woman **he** desired and the power **he** coveted.

How!?

How could this be!?

It wasn't fair!

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN AU LAIT!]**

Lightning crackled along the length of the Ryujinmaru as Ryujin Gaim charged at Bujin Gaim.

"Time to count up your crimes, Nise! SEI-YAH!"

Ryujin Gaim slashed at Bujin Gaim, who tried to parry with his swords, only to have them broken. Ryujin Gaim then landed another slash across Bujin Gaim's chest before following up with an upward slash that sent him flying. He fell to the ground, his body numb from the electrically charged slash.

" **Gah! Damn it!** "

Bujin Gaim grunted as he picked himself back up, staggering on his feet. Hearing three simultaneous yells, he dared to look up and saw Kanu, Chouhi, and Ryuubi ready to attack.

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"_ Chouhi shouted as yellow lightning gathered around her Viper Spear. She jumped and spun in the air before striking the ground. A massive snake made of lightning emerged and surged towards Bujin Gaim.

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"_ roared Kanu as she twirled her Green Dragon Crescent Blade as green energy gathered around her blade. It took the shape of demonic green flames. Swinging her weapon, she sent a massive green fireball in the form of a demon's head flying towards Bujin Gaim.

" _DRAGON STAR FLASH!"_ Ryuubi shouted as she swung her sword downward, hurling a huge five-pointed star made of light. It sliced through the air like a shuriken as it soared towards Bujin Gaim.

Bujin Gaim screamed as he electrocuted by the lightning snake, burned by the demonic green fireball before the giant star sliced right through him. He fell to his knees as his injuries worsened by the constant attacks.

"Good job, girls!" Ryujin Gaim praised. He wasn't finished yet as he put his sword away and twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]**

Ryujin Gaim aimed his DJ Gun at Bujin Gaim as the latter gathered blood red energy in his right hand. Bujin Gaim fired a blood red energy beam at Ryujin Gaim who countered with his DJ Gun.

As they rapidly fired upon each other, Ryujin Gaim turned the dial to switch modes. As he squeezed the trigger, he fired a cannon-like blast from his DJ Gun that struck Bujin Gaim explosively. With his enemy stunned, Ryujin Gaim turned the dial again and scratched the disk before firing a spray of rapid fire bullets. Bujin Gaim hysterically yelled as the ballistic barrage repeatedly and mercilessly bombarded him.

Satisfied with the damage he had dealt, Ryujin Gaim hit his Cutting Blade for the finisher.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Wielding both the Ryujinmaru and DJ Gun, electrical energy arched around Ryujin Gaim's body before being transferred into his weapons.

" _DAI RYUJIN... FINAL WAVE!_ "

Ryujin Gaim fired the DJ Gun, shooting out a giant energy bullet. He followed up by sending a crescent-shaped energy slash with the Ryujinmaru. The slash met the round, adding more power and speed to it. The shot accelerated, moving at a speed that was too fast for Bujin Gaim to dodge. The attack hit and exploded, sending Bujin Gaim tumbling across the ground. The electrical energy caused Bujin Gaim great pain as he convulsed on the ground.

Bujin Gaim picked himself up, his stance shaky as he tried to recover from the attack.

" **This...this can't be. I'm supposed to be...the victor. I'm** _ **superior**_ **to you all.** "

The Shoku Warriors took their cue and attacked Bujin Gaim while he was weakened, giving him everything they got. Bacho and Chou'un, being the fastest, pierced him with their spears. Batai then lunged at him, following their example, and slashed him across the chest. He staggered from the attacks. Ryofu was upon him next as she grabbed him by the throat and tossed him up into the air. She leaped up, followed by Chouhi and Gien, who then smashed him with their weapons. He crashed down to the ground with immense force, forming a crater on impact.

Picking himself up, he was attacked again as Kanu and Ryuubi rushed at him. He was slashed by Kanu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade, before receiving a stab from Ryuubi. He staggered back from both sisters who struck him again, knocking him backward.

"This is for taking my family sword and name!" Ryuubi yelled as she slashed Bujin Gaim violently.

"And this is for trying to defile me!" added Kanu as she struck him as well.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

 **[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]**

"And this is for eating us!" Ryugen-Yomi and Idunn screamed.

Bujin Gaim reeled back as the explosive energy blast from Ryugen-Yomi's Budou Ryuhou and an energy slash from Idunn's Sword Bringer hit him simultaneously. He was barely able to stand as Ryujin Gaim charged at him.

"AND THIS IS FOR NANAMOMO!" Ryujin Gaim roared as he put all his might into his fist and drove it into Bujin Gaim's chest, shattering the armor and sending Bujin Gaim skidding backward. Coming to a stop after sliding back thirty feet, Bujin Gaim staggered before he collapsed to his knees and groaned.

" **Damn you all...** " Bujin Gaim cursed as he radiated with angry dark energy.

"Let's finish him off," Ryujin Gaim instructed.

"Alright!" Ryugen-Yomi, Idunn, Ryuubi, Kanu and Chouhi agreed.

The three Shoku Armored War Gods and the new Armored Trinity charged at Bujin Gaim. He fired a series of blood red energy blasts at them, but they still kept coming at him. Idunn led the charge, using her Apple Reflecter to cover Ryugen-Yomi, Ryujin Gaim, Kanu, Chouhi, and Ryuubi. Ryugen-Yomi and Ryujin Gaim fired back with their Budou Ryuhou and DJ Gun, respectively, hitting Bujin Gaim with blasts of energy. As they neared their target, Ryujin Gaim banished his DJ Gun and twisted his Ryujin Key.

 **[COCO BOXERS!]**

Idunn, Ryugen-Yomi, Kanu, Ryuubi and Chouhi, and Ryujin Gaim finally reached Bujin Gaim and separated to encircle him. Kanu, Ryuubi, Chouhi, Idunn and Ryugen-Yomi repeatedly struck him with their personal weapons, forcing him to defend himself from the attacks which were coming at him from all directions. The consecutive assault left Bujin Gaim wide open for Ryujin Gaim as he punched him repeatedly with the Coco Boxers. Each blow was made even more devastating due to the hidden pistons that allowed Ryujin Gaim to exert more force into his punches.

Kanu, Ryuubi, and Chouhi all thrust their weapons forward, striking Bujin Gaim with incredible force and sending him tumbling before he came to a stop on his back. He shouldn't be getting back up from that.

But just to make sure, Ryujin Gaim hit his Cutting Blade.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _Rider Rocket Punch!_ " Ryujin Gaim shouted as he punched forward with both arms, launching the Coco Boxers like missiles. Seeing the impending attack, Bujin Gaim managed to flip back to his feet in time to dodge them.

" **Damn you...** "

Bujin Gaim regenerated his weapon, forming the Musou Saber Naginata Mode. He broke into a run, and the chase was on. The Armored War Gods and Armored Trinity ran parallel with their foe. As Bujin Gaim hurled energy slashes at them, Ryugen-Yomi, Ryujin Gaim, and Idunn responded with their personal long-range attacks. Ryugen-Yomi fired his Budou Ryuhou as Ryujin Gaim did the same with his DJ Gun while Idunn threw energy slashes at Bujin Gaim.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE AU LAIT!]**

The chase ended as the sextet ducked away from Bujin Gaim's rapid energy slashes. Ryugen-Yomi and Ryujin Gaim repeatedly fired at their enemy, causing sparks to explode off his body. Pressing on the advantage, Kanu, Chouhi, Ryuubi and Idunn rushed towards Bujin Gaim. As they ran past him, they slashed him, adding to the damage he took.

As the combined assault ceased, Bujin Gaim growled as he stood shakily on his feet.

"Now!" Kanu ordered as she charged forward with her sisters-in-arms. They slashed at him in succession, starting with Kanu, Chouhi, Chou'un, Bacho, Batai, Ryofu and finally Ryuubi. Kochu and Gien also smashed him with their bow and kanabo, respectively, forcing him to his knees. The girls then backed away from Bujin Gaim as he picked himself back up. His body had sustained a heap of damage, but his resilience and stubbornness would not allow him to fall.

"Ready to give up yet?" Ryujin Gaim taunted.

" **Damn you! I am a GOD! How can I possibly be beaten by the likes of** _ **you**_ **!?** "Bujin Gaim shouted.

"Don't make me laugh. You're no god. You're just a monster that needs to be put down," Ryujin Gaim countered.

"You should've stayed in the dirt where you belong," added Idunn coldly.

"Face it, Nise. You're not wanted here," finished Ryugen-Yomi.

" **DAMN YOU ALL!** " roared Bujin Gaim as he hit his Cutting Blade thrice to execute his finisher.

 **[BLOOD ORANGE SPARKING!]**

Bujin Gaim prepared to finish them all for good as his body blazed with blood red energy oozing from his body. He separated his swords and the blood red energy spread across both blades as they charged up.

"Iori, Kara-chan, let's finish him now!" Ryujin Gaim commanded. "Triple Rider Kick!"

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

"OK!" Ryugen-Yomi obeyed.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

"You got it, Naga-kun!" obliged Idunn.

 **[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]**

"Aisha, Rinrin, let's do it!" Ryuubi ordered as she raised her sword. Kanu and Chouhi understood and crossed their blades together. Their armor and weapons glowed as energy gathered around them. Ryuubi closed her eyes to concentrate as she focused her energy into her Dragon Claw Sword. Kanu and Chouhi stepped back as Ryuubi inhaled, gripped the handle then, exhaled.

The three Riders leaped into the air and performed a Triple Rider Kick together as energy gathered around their feet. Ryujin Gaim's energy blazed with the colors of a rainbow as red energy surrounded Idunn's leg and purple energy in the shape of grapes circled Ryugen-Yomi's extended leg.

" _TRIPLE ARMORED WAR GOD RIDER KICK!"_

At the same time, Ryuubi yelled, " _TRINITY POWER: CELESTIAL DRAGON SLASH!_ " She sent a wave of blue energy that roared as it surged towards Bujin Gaim.

As they came down to strike, Bujin Gaim performed a cross slash, sending an X made of blazing blood red energy flying at his foes. However, much to his shock, Ryuubi's _Celestial Dragon Slash_ broke through his attack, allowing the Triple Rider Kick to strike him directly in the chest. The demonic Armored War Devil screamed as he was thrown back and engulfed in a massive explosion.

Ryugen-Yomi, Ryujin Gaim, and Idunn landed together before they rose up and turned their backs to the flames and smoke. Ryujin Gaim's Ryujin Raiment flapped in the wind.

Kanu, Ryuubi, and Chouhi approached them as well. Briefly, the girls' armor shone, before vanishing. Ryujin Gaim took a moment to note the presence of new magatama earrings hanging from their left ears, each in their respective colors.

"Aww...My cool new armor's gone." Chouhi looked at herself in disappointment.

"Well, it was an exciting experience while it lasted," Kanu admitted.

"Indeed," Ryuubi nodded. "Thank you, Nagata-sama."

"You're welcome, but I don't know what I did. The Ryujin Key just told me something," Ryujin Gaim answered. He really couldn't explain it. It was like his vision. It just happened.

"Do you think it's finally over?" Ryuubi asked hopefully but with a hint of worry.

"I doubt even _he_ could've survived that," stated Idunn confidently as she admired the flames of Bujin Gaim's destruction. ' _Yeah, burn! Burn in Hell you bastard! BURN!_ '

"Wait," Ryugen-Yomi said as he narrowed his eyes. "I don't think it's over."

As the smoke cleared, it revealed Bujin Gaim as he survived their attack, shocking them as they gasped. However, he did not manage to escape unscathed.

His upper body was reduced to a disgusting nest of slimy, writhing, flailing tentacles as he tried to repair himself.

"Naga-kun, finish him off!" Idunn yelled.

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU! MUSOU SABER! DAIDAIMARU!]**

After summoning the three weapons, Ryujin Gaim combined them into DJ Sojinto Mode. First, the Musou Saber slid into the DJ Gun, forming its Taiken Mode, before the Daidaimaru connected to the Musou Saber. As he took hold of the gestalt dual-bladed weapon, Ryujin Gaim swiftly struck his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade three times.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

Siphoning energy from both the Kachidoki Lockseed and Ryujin Key, the DJ Sojinto's dual blades glowed. Once it was fully charged, Ryujin Gaim called out his attack.

" _DAI RYUJIN NO SOJINTO ZAN!_ "

Ryujin Gaim first hurled a vertical energy slash before he spun on his heel and threw a second horizontal power slash. The second slash merged with the first, and the combined energy slashes accelerated, speeding towards Bujin Gaim as he was attempting to regenerate. Unfortunately, Bujin Gaim failed as the attack quartered his entire body. Each of his pieces was instantly vaporized.

The Blood Orange Lockseed remained intact as it dropped to the ground. Flashing angrily with a crimson light, it began to bleed. Thick black ichor oozed out of the abnormal Lockseed, forming a bubbling pool. All of a sudden, a massive nest of slimy tentacles burst out of the earth, spilling the thick tar-like substance all over the ground. The appendages wrapped around each other and swelled, growing upwards and reaching the night sky like some hellish beanstalk. The twisted limbs soon hardened to form a thick tree trunk with writhing tentacles crowning the top.

At the very top of the tree, Bujin Gaim emerged, completely restored but also changed. His armor had taken on a more organic appearance, and his mouthplate looked like a real mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. Even his fingers had turned into wicked claws. His legs were replaced with a mass of tentacles that were merged to the tree-like abomination.

In this form, he was now **Bujin Gaim Demonic Spawn Formation**.

" **THIS WORLD SHALL BE MINE!** " Bujin Gaim declared as he raised his fists. " **NOW WITNESS MY TRUE POWER AS I DESTROY YOU ALL!** "

The Shoku Warriors gawked at the horrific sight incredulously.

"He still _lives_!?" Kanu yelled in disbelief.

"Bu-but we hit him with _everything_ we got!" Ryuubi gasped.

"He must've inherited his former self's stubbornness," Chou'un remarked.

"He's on his last leg already. He won't last long," Bacho observed.

"Yeah, we can still beat him!" Chouhi cheered confidently.

The tentacles around Bujin Gaim had bulged around the base before the swollen bumps moved to the tips. The disgusting limbs then began to fire rapidly at the Shoku Warriors, explosions erupting all around them.

 **[MELON DEFENDER! APPLE REFLECTER!]**

Summoning both shields, Ryujin Gaim used them to erect a barrier around himself and his comrades, protecting them from the ballistic barrage. The assault bombarded the shields, but they gradually buckled under the pressure.

" **DIE! DIE! DIE! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!** " Bujin Gaim cackled as he continued to fire hell down upon them. His tentacles started dripping black liquid onto the ground. These were seeds. When they sprouted, new Black Sproutmen came to life. More and more of the seeds fell to the ground, spawning an army of them.

Once he finished spawning his minions, Bujin Gaim stopped firing. It was a good thing too. Ryujin Gaim's shields weren't going to hold for long. The Black Sproutmen began to attack the Shoku Warriors who fought back.

"Nagata, you have to go stop him for good!" Ryugen-Yomi shouted as he impaled a Black Sproutman with his Yomiyari. "We can handle things here!" He shot at a couple more with his Budou Ryuhou.

"Are you sure?" Ryujin Gaim asked as he sliced a Black Sproutman in half with his Musou Saber.

"Just go! Hurry, Naga-kun!" Idunn yelled back.

Ryujin Gaim looked around at all the destruction before looking up at Bujin Gaim who stood at the top of this demonic tree. Ryujin Gaim resolved that this had to end tonight. He crouched, and his visor flashed before he unleashed a burst of electricity, frying some nearby Black Sproutmen, and ran. He ran towards the demonic tree, faster and faster until he reached his top speed. He ran up the trunk of the wicked tree, trailing blue lightning behind him. He arrived at the peak in the blink of an eye, ready to confront Bujin Gaim. The Armored War Devil stood at the very center of the makeshift floor which was encircled by hideous writhing tentacles.

" **What do you think, Gaim? Isn't it grand? I've become an even grander being than before** ," Bujin Gaim gloated. He looked even more demonic as his armor had gained a more organic quality.

"I think you need to be cut down to size," retorted Ryujin Gaim.

In response, Bujin Gaim lashed out at Ryujin Gaim with his tentacles. They slammed into the Seiryuoh repeatedly, sending sparks blasting off on impact. However, Ryujin Gaim didn't seem to be affected at all as the tentacles repeatedly slammed into him. It was like he wasn't bothered by them at all. It was like he couldn't feel them at all as well.

Enduring the relentless assault, Ryujin Gaim twisted his Ryujin Key and summoned his weapon of choice.

 **[GREEN DRAGON CRESCENT BLADE!]**

A sharp tentacle shot towards Ryujin Gaim's heart, but a familiar weapon suddenly appeared to deflect the limb. Ryujin Gaim seized the polearm, twirled it and gripped it in both hands. Bujin Gaim's eyes widened as he recognized it as Kanu's signature weapon.

" **How!?** "

"Surprised? This weapon proves the strength of our bond!"

Ryujin Gaim lunged towards Bujin Gaim. The demonic Rider responded with more tentacles, but Ryujin Gaim quickly sliced them apart with the guandao. Bujin Gaim kept regenerating and attacking, but Ryujin Gaim kept on slicing away, causing Bujin Gaim to become more and more frantic.

The tentacles converged on Ryujin Gaim, but he evaded them in a flash of lightning. Targeting Bujin Gaim, he shot towards him with the Green Dragon Crescent Blade pointed forward. Panicking, the demonic Rider tried to defend himself with a makeshift shield, but Ryujin Gaim managed to break through his defenses and strike furiously with Kanu's weapon.

The way Ryujin Gaim was using the guandao, the way he moved, it was just like Kanu. It was just like watching Kanu fight, and for a moment Bujin Gaim thought he saw Kanu's image superimposed upon Ryujin Gaim.

As Ryujin Gaim injured Bujin Gaim, spilling more of his dark blood, he called forth another weapon.

This one was special because it belonged to his little sister.

 **[VIPER SPEAR!]**

The Viper Spear appeared out of thin air and flew at Bujin Gaim like a javelin. It pierced his chest and caused him to let out a scream.

" **AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!** "

Ryujin Gaim grabbed hold of the Viper Spear and roughly yanked it out of Bujin Gaim. The demonic Rider, this time, willed his tentacles to aim upon Ryujin Gaim. He watched as they bulged at the base and glowed. The glowing lumps then moved to the tip before they fired at him like cannons. He twirled both the Viper Spear and Green Dragon Crescent Blade around, deflecting the energy blasts. They hit the tentacles, destroying them, with some of the deflected blasts hitting Bujin Gaim himself. The blasting ceased once all the limbs were killed, leaving scorched stumps.

Assuming a stance, Ryujin Gaim wielded both Chouhi and Kanu's signature weapons. He crossed both polearms and uncrossed them, scraping sparks off the blades before he dashed towards Bujin Gaim. With both his weapons, he repeatedly and furiously landed brutal strikes. Not only was he handling both weapons with immense skill, but his movements were also an exact mimicry of Kanu and Chouhi's.

" **GET OFF ME!** "

Bujin Gaim sent Ryujin Gaim flying back with his chest tentacles, but the Azure Dragon Rider managed to land safely on his feet. Ryujin Gaim looked up as Bujin Gaim opened up his chest. Tentacles burst out of the horrific mouth-like cavity, but it was the glow that emerged from the very center of the mass of limbs that truly got Ryujin Gaim concerned. It couldn't be anything good.

" **TAKE THIS, GAIM!** "

Bujin Gaim fired a black and crimson energy blast at Ryujin Gaim from his chest.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim twirled both the Viper Spear and Green Dragon Crescent Blade as a golden aura rose from his body, taking the form of a dragon.

"ORE-TACHI NO CHIKARA! _DAI RYUJIN TRINITY STRIKE!_ "

He hurled both spears like javelins, sending them flying as an aura in the shape of a dragon engulfed them both. The weapons crashed into Bujin Gaim's energy blast and smashed right through before heading towards Bujin Gaim. He screamed as he was hit by the weapons as they exploded. The blast was so powerful that it blew off Bujin Gaim's entire right side.

" **You...damn you...damn you to HELL!** " Bujin Gaim cursed as tentacles grew out of the wound and began to reform his body.

"Correction, _you're_ the one who's going to Hell," said Ryujin Gaim as he gripped his Ryujin Key. "Say hello to Ox-Head and Horse-Face for me."

He quickly twisted the Ryujin Key several times, over, and over, and over again.

 **[DAIDAIMARU! MUSOU SABER! DURI NOKO! COCO BOXERS! BERRAPIER! BLUE GAUCHE! WIZARDSWORDGUN! PINE IRON! BANASPEAR! MANGO PUNISHER! PAPAYA CHOPPER! ICHIGO KUNAI! CARAMBOLA STARS! SWORD BRINGER! GREEN DRAGON CRESCENT BLADE! VIPER SPEAR! DRAGON FANG! SILVER FLASH! SHADOW FLASH! HEAVEN PIERCER! DRAGON CLAW! BLUNT SHATTERED BONE!]**

Bujin Gaim's eyes widened at the unbelievable sight as dozens upon dozens of weapons now occupied the sky. Ryujin Gaim knew these weapons well. It wasn't just the Arms Weapons he had accessed before, but also the weapons of his Shoku Warriors.

" **What...what is this...HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS!?** " Bujin Gaim demanded as he saw all the weapons hovering in the sky.

"This is the power of our bond! I call it the _**Infinite Armory of the Dragon King!**_ " Ryujin Gaim proclaimed as he pointed at Bujin Gaim. He then raised his arm and swiftly brought it down.

"GO!"

The weapons screamed as they rocketed towards Bujin Gaim like missiles. Since he had stuck himself in a stationary position, he had no way of dodging them. Immediately, he used the tentacles that surrounded him to form a barrier. However, it proved useless as it shattered under the combined assault of all the weapons.

" **No...This cannot be. My triumphant victory...so close...** "

Bujin Gaim's body had taken too much damage. All that remained of him now was just a horrifically disfigured head sitting atop a terribly damaged tentacle. He started to regenerate, but his recovery was as slow as a snail's crawl.

 **[SONIC ARROW!]**

After summoning the Sonic Arrow, Ryujin Gaim loaded it with his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

And then he hit his Cutting Blade.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

He aimed the Sonic Arrow at Bujin Gaim's head, the weapon siphoning power from the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed, Kachidoki Lockseed, and Ryujin Key, as he stretched the bowstring to its maximum tautness. The tip glowed, crackling with energy as it was charging up.

"Now embrace the darkness and rest in peace," concluded Ryujin Gaim.

 _ **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**_

" _DAI RYUJIN ARROW!"_

The Sonic Arrow released a powerful stream of orange energy, which morphed into a shape of a roaring dragon as it engulfed Bujin Gaim completely. He was vaporized in an instant as the stream kept going and going until it dissipated in the night sky. Bujin Gaim's screams turned silent in that single moment, and nobody would ever hear from him again.

Down below, the Shoku Warriors were still fighting the Black Sproutmen.

"There's no end to these things!" complained Batai.

"I hope Nagata's doing OK up there," said Ryugen-Yomi.

"Have more faith! Naga-kun has a habit of pulling off a miracle in the end!" Idunn admonished.

Suddenly, they heard a loud explosion and looked up to see a bright flash. They saw the weapons converging on the top of the tree before another explosion followed. Then they saw a dragon of energy fly into the sky before winking out of existence.

"What in the world...?" Ryuubi gasped.

The Black Sproutmen collapsed to the ground and started to melt, dissolving into black goo. The tree itself began to develop cracks all over as dark blood spilled out of the cracks. More and more cracks began to spread all over the tree before it exploded. A wave of dark blood traveled towards the Shoku Warriors. They panicked as they tried to flee from it.

Ryujin Gaim landed smoothly on his feet as the dark blood rained down all around. He looked around. The village had taken damage, but the group managed to survive. There were puddles of dark blood all over the ground. It was a miracle that the village did not get flooded.

"Minna-!" Ryujin Gaim called only to freeze as he saw their state. The wave of dark blood had drenched them all completely. Some of it probably got into their mouths. Thank goodness his helmet covered his mouth.

After an awkward pause, Ryujin Gaim commented, "Er...you guys look like you might need to take a bath."

"YOU THINK!?" everyone yelled in irritation.

Nagata undid his transformation and chuckled awkwardly at the mess. It was a good thing that he managed to defeat Bujin Gaim when he did. He already felt drained from the use of his Ryujin Arms. Iori and Karasu also deactivated their armor.

They could relax and rest easy now as it was finally over.

 _Or was it?_

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim's still intact Blood Orange Lockseed shot towards Nagata like a speeding arrow. The Lockseed loaded itself and locked into the empty Drive Bay of Nagata's SengokuDriver.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Nagata-sama!"

"Naga-kun!"

"Nagata!"

"Onii-chan!"

Nagata continued to scream in agony as the aura engulfed him.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Karasu and Iori quickly darted towards the SengokuDriver, intent on removing the Blood Orange Lockseed. The energy violently repelled them when they tried. None of them could get close as the strange and wicked aura stopped them in their tracks.

"We need to do something! He needs our help!" Ryuubi pleaded.

"There's nothing we can do," Karasu frowned as she clenched her fists.

"But we can't just stand here and do nothing!"

"It is Nagata-sama's fight now, Aneue. Have faith and believe in him," Kanu told her sworn sister.

"Kanu's right," Karasu agreed. "We can't have any doubts right now."

Ryuubi clasped her hands together and quietly prayed, "Nagata-sama, you can do it."

Nagata's aura flickered between red and blue repeatedly. In what felt like hours, the violent blood red aura soon died down. It seemed that everything was okay, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Nagata-sama, are you alright?" Kanu gingerly asked as she watched him warily.

When Nagata opened his eyes, she instantly knew that he was not alright. His irises were now blood red instead of silver while the surrounding sclerae had turned pitch black. An evil grin stretched across his face as he said a word in a familiar demonic voice.

" **...Henshin.** "

The Cutting Blade came down on its own, slicing open the Blood Orange Lockseed.

 **[SEIFUKU ARMS!]**

 _Seifuku...meaning conquest._

His desire.

A red-tinted, black tar-like substance oozed out of Nagata's SengokuDriver to completely engulf his body, from head to toe. The ooze then began to morph and change shape before the featureless black layer shattered like glass to reveal the horror hidden underneath.

 **[DAI AKUMA, SEKAI SEIFUKU!]**

 _Great Devil, World Conquest._

A Great Devil of Conquest.

And what a devil he was.

The armor was black and worn over a matching black bodysuit. The bodysuit had a blood red pattern resembling veins. The chestplate sported jagged red patterns that formed a demonic skull-like visage. Similar plate armor protected the shoulders. Black flaps of armor hung from the belt to protect the thighs and crotch. The helmet was tall and pointed with a blood red version of Gaim's crest on his brow and a blood red visor. The black gauntlets and boots had gold plate armor on the forearms, shins, and toes. A tattered blood red cape with an equally tattered high collar pulled the look together.

The Shoku Warriors could only stare in silence as the horrific transformation took place as Bujin Gaim successfully took over Nagata's body.

Bujin Gaim flexed his clawed fingers and took a moment to appraise his newly acquired body. He liked what his saw. His armor reflected his true nature.

" **Finally...** "

"Nagata-sama...?" Ryuubi questioned, confused and scared.

" **Sorry, but your king isn't here right now** ," taunted Bujin Gaim.

"What?" Ryuubi gasped.

"He's been possessed!" Iori realized.

"You bastard! Get out of him!" Karasu angrily demanded as she drew her blade.

" **I can't do that. In fact, I** _ **won't**_ **do that. Do you know how long I've waited for this day? I've wanted Gaim's power for as long as I can remember, and now I finally have it.** **Why would I ever want to give it up?** " Bujin Gaim casually responded.

"You got it by bodyjacking him!" Iori snapped.

" **Well, why don't you do something about it? Come on, beat me out of him** ," dared Bujin Gaim. When nobody made a move, he grinned. " **Nobody? What's the matter? Afraid of hurting your** _ **precious**_ **king?** "

Kanu's knuckles turned white as her grip tightened on her Green Dragon Crescent Blade, barely containing her rage. The others were angry too but could do nothing.

"Release him this instant!" Kanu ordered.

"Please! Please let him go!" Ryuubi begged.

"Give back Onii-chan!" Chouhi pleaded.

" **Now why in the world would I even do that?! Did you people not catch the part where I have** _ **finally gotten**_ **the power I have so coveted!** " Bujin Gaim answered triumphantly.

"So what are you going to do now? Kill us?" Bacho spat.

" **I could utterly destroy you all right now** ," Bujin Gaim said, causing them to tense up and ready themselves for a fight. " **But I won't. I'm not interested in crushing a bunch of weak and tired warriors. It would be far too easy and not as enjoyable.** "

"So you're just going to let us live?" Chou'un questioned.

" **Just granting you all some mercy** ," he answered generously. He snapped his fingers and opened a portal to Helheim Forest.

" _Mercy?_ " Kanu repeated, confused.

" **Yes, consider it your reward for showing me such a good time. But it's the only act of mercy you will receive from me, so feel grateful. Once you're all fully rested and recuperated, you can look for me if you want your dear master back. You'll know where to find me.** " He stepped into the portal and turned to look at them one last time as it began to close. " **I'll be waiting.** "

The portal zipped up and vanished as the Shoku Warriors stood helplessly, unable to stop Bujin Gaim.

The Shoku Warriors were shocked. It was not supposed to end this way. They should be victorious. They should be celebrating. Isn't that how it was meant to be?

"Damn," Iori cursed. "Damn it!"

"Naga-kun..." Karasu was in shock as she shook on the spot, fists clenched and teeth gritted.

Ryuubi fell to her knees in shock before she cried out Nagata's name, "NAGATA-SAMAAAAAA!"

Kanu and Chouhi both knelt down to comfort Ryuubi as they hugged her.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Batai asked.

"We're going to track Bujin Gaim down and get Nagata back. Until then, we need to get some rest. It's been a long night for all of us," Iori answered.

"Aneue, come on. Let's go back," Kanu gently urged her sworn sister.

"I wish Nagata-sama were here," Ryuubi sobbed.

"Me too," concurred Kanu.

Chouhi silently agreed as she teared up alongside her sworn sisters.

" _Aisha!_ "

Kanu's eyes widened when she heard the voice and suddenly stood up. In fact, Ryuubi gasped as Chouhi suddenly stood up as well.

"I heard something! It's Nagata-niichan's voice!" exclaimed Chouhi.

"You must be hearing things," Karasu glared. She wasn't in the mood for jokes, not after what happened to Nagata.

"No, I heard it too," confirmed Ryuubi.

"I as well. I can hear Nagata-sama's voice," Kanu seconded.

" _Aisha, Touka, Rinrin! Guys, I'm right here!_ "

That was when something miraculous happened. Ryuubi, Kanu, and Chouhi could see a humanoid of light approaching them. They weren't the only ones to witness this. The rest of the Shoku Warriors could see it too.

They watched as the light surrounding the humanoid suddenly evaporated, giving way to more human features. Their eyes widened in shock as they saw who it was underneath the light.

It was Nagata Oda.

Nagata smiled at his stunned friends and gave them a two-fingered salute. "Yo."

"EEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHH!? NAGATA-SAMA!?"

They immediately crowded around him, with Chouhi hugging him tightly around the waist.

"You're back!" Chouhi cheered.

Nagata smiled as he patted her head, but then his smile turned upside down as he looked at everyone.

"Naga-kun, is that really you?" Karasu asked. She feared it was a dream.

"Yes, Kara-chan. It's me," Nagata answered.

"But we saw Bujin Gaim take over your body," Iori said suspiciously.

"OK, seriously, what is going on? How can you be here when we just saw that monster take over your body?" Bacho demanded impatiently. She was happy that Nagata was back, but it didn't make sense.

"It's a long story. How about we all head back inside so I can tell you all about it?" Nagata said.

"Yes, I think we all need to hear how you managed to escape from Bujin Gaim," Chou'un said.

The Shoku Warriors headed back to the castle with Nagata to get the full story. A lot had happened tonight, and they really could use a break. They nearly lost Nagata, again.

Once inside the castle, the Shoku Warriors all sat down in the living room. Komei joined them. She asked what had happened and she got the full story of how Bujin Gaim attacked them.

Komei cried out, "Hawawawawawa! You were attacked by _Bujin_ Gaim!?"

Nagata reassured her, "Don't worry, Shuri. We managed to drive him off."

Komei felt relieved, especially since everyone returned alright. But she could still tell that there was something wrong.

Nagata made himself comfortable on the couch as Chouhi sat on his lap. She didn't want to let go of her big brother, not after nearly losing him.

"OK, so what's going on?" Iori asked with his arms crossed. "And we want the _truth_."

"To make a long story short, what you see right now is just a spirit body," Nagata answered.

"A spirit body?" everyone repeated.

"That's right. Bujin Gaim still has my body. When he took over, my soul ejected itself," Nagata elaborated.

"But that's not possible, is it?" Bacho questioned.

"We've all see it happen before. Don't you all remember when Nagata-sama returned to face Braco?" Kanu reminded.

"Why didn't you try to fight him?" Karasu asked Nagata.

"He got me while my guard was down. I was already weak from using the Ryujin Arms, so I did not have the strength to fight back. I had to abandon ship to save myself," Nagata explained.

Ryofu sniffed Nagata and frowned. He didn't have the smell she loved so much. Being a spirit, he didn't have a scent at all.

"So, Nagata-sama's like a ghost now?" Batai asked. Kanu and Chouhi shuddered at the mention of ghosts.

"Yes, and no," Nagata answered. "I'm still alive. It's just I'm not occupying my body right now."

"That's a weird sentence," Batai remarked.

"Tanpopo, this whole situation is weird," Bacho retorted. "I swear our lives stopped being normal since we met you, Nagata-sama."

"How does it feel?" Chou'un asked.

"Weird," Nagata answered. "Best way I can describe it, it's like I'm in two places at once."

"That probably means you can still feel your body," Iori theorized.

Nagata suddenly flickered, becoming see-through for only a second, surprising everyone.

"What was _that_?" Bacho asked.

"That happens sometimes," Nagata answered.

"So, how were you able to escape your body?" Iori asked. It sounded like a weird question, but an apt one.

"We can thank this little thing," said Nagata as he held up the Ryujin Key.

"So it was like your ejector seat."

"That's right."

"That's good. At least Bujin Gaim won't have _that_ in his arsenal," said Bacho, shuddering at the thought of their enemy having access to Nagata's strongest form and the powers that came with it.

Karasu took a step forward and looked Nagata in the eye. She gently grasped his cheeks. He felt cold, but he was solid. He wasn't gone. He was still here.

"Naga-kun, I swear we'll get your body back," Karasu vowed.

"We all will," Kanu vowed as well. "We won't let that fiend keep your body."

"Thank you," Nagata said in appreciation. "But now, how about we all get some rest? It's been a long night for all of us."

"Yes, that is a good idea," said Komei. "You've all been through quite the ordeal and will need your rest."

"Nagata-niichan, can I sleep with you tonight?" Chouhi asked. She didn't want to let him go. She was afraid he would vanish.

"Sure, Rinrin," Nagata said to his little sister.

"I would also like to join you," said Kanu.

"Me too!" Ryuubi raised her hand.

"I think Naga-kun would prefer to sleep peacefully," Karasu admonished.

"It's OK, Kara-chan," Nagata said. "Aisha, Touka, you can come sleep with Rinrin and me tonight."

"You know, maybe we should call you 'Kamen Rider Ghost' from now on," Iori joked.

"That's not funny," Karasu disapproved.

"Um, Nagata-sama, would it be alright if I asked you a few questions about your current condition?" Komei asked. "Not right now, of course. Perhaps, later?"

"Sure," Nagata promised.

* * *

Kanu, Chouhi, and Ryuubi were all headed to Nagata's room. They were dressed for bed, and feeling refreshed after a nice warm bath. Kanu was glad she got most of the gunk out of her hair. She spent hours cleaning her hair and due to its length she needed help from Ryuubi. She managed to nearly deplete all the soap trying to get the smell out.

Their clothes were also stained and trying to get the stains out was a huge hassle resulting in the girls having to dispose of all their clothes. They decided just to burn the clothes as they just couldn't be cleaned anymore. They were just _too_ unclean.

The streets outside would require a thorough cleaning since there were still patches of Bujin Gaim's dark blood scattered all over the village. It would be a very tough job to clean it all up, but it needed to be done.

"Is something wrong, Aisha?" Ryuubi asked Kanu.

"I just have mixed feelings about Nagata-sama's condition," answered Kanu. "On one hand, we didn't lose him this time. On the other hand, he's a..." Kanu shuddered, "A _ghost_."

"You mean a spirit," Ryuubi corrected. "He's not dead yet. He's just not in his body right now. Wow, that's a weird thing to say now that I think about it."

"Well, our lives have never really been normal since we met Nagata-sama," replied Kanu.

"Ne, ne, ne! Wasn't it cool how we transformed like that?" Chouhi reminded, changing the subject. "I didn't know we could do that!"

"That's because it was Nagata-sama who gave us that power," replied Kanu.

"I wonder if we can do it again," Ryuubi said thoughtfully. She then noticed something on Kanu's ear. "Aisha, where did you get that earring?"

"What earring?" Kanu reached up and touched her ear where the magatama was. "Huh? Where did this come from?"

"Touka-neechan, you have one too!" Chouhi realized.

"And you as well," pointed Ryuubi. "But how?"

Kanu smiled in realization.

"Perhaps that power can be regained after all."

Ryuubi nodded, but then her expression turned somber.

"Nagata-sama seemed very down after Nanamomo-san died."

"Of course. While Nanamomo-dono was a Rinrinshi, she proved herself to be a friend and sacrificed herself to try and protect Nagata-sama. It's just unfortunate that her death was in vain," Kanu replied sympathetically.

"Nagata-niichan's going to hold another funeral again, isn't he?" Chouhi asked.

"He will," Kanu confirmed. Nagata would always hold a funeral for those who have fallen either in the line of duty or battle. He even presided over the funerals for the innocents who were killed by their enemies. It wasn't one of his favorite duties, but it was still one of his responsibilities.

* * *

Nagata was alone in his room. He sat on his bed, looking at his hands. It felt odd. He was corporeal, but he was also a spirit living without a body. It was a strange existence.

He had no heartbeat, no pulse; he also wouldn't need to breathe or eat.

They managed to survive another night. It was a small victory since Bujin Gaim withdrew, but it wasn't an actual win either.

People had died, including someone Nagata had recently accepted as a friend. It just didn't seem fair, but life was rarely fair at all. It could be cruel, and he just had to accept it.

He hated the feeling that came from losing a friend. It was a painful experience. He nearly lost Iori and Karasu tonight. He was lucky that they survived. However, Nanamomo still lost her life even after he promised to protect her.

Nanamomo's death reminded him that he could lose his friends and the girls he loved. They could die at any moment, especially in these dangerous times. As warriors, they faced death on the battlefield, with each battle possibly being their last. He didn't want to lose any of his loved ones. He wouldn't know what to do if any of them died.

Before Nanamomo died, she left a message for him. She left it in Kada's clinic after she broke out of the barrier. It was Kada who delivered the message to Nagata on a sheet of paper.

" _The RinJyuDen is located above Mt. Tai."_

The information matched Masataka's findings and the evidence he gained from tracking the RinJyuKen's movements. They now had an exact location. The RinJyuKen Akugata's base was on the peak of Mt. Tai. Nanamomo had kept her promise after all. Nagata immediately shared this information with the rest of the Alliance, including what he knew of their plans to revive their leader, Dai Shi.

Who was Dai Shi? They would need to do research on him. Perhaps there was information about him in the Imperial library. Komei said that the library remained mostly untouched by the fire and they managed to salvage books, which were divided among the factions equally. If they could learn anything about who he was, maybe they could find a weakness.

Nagata was surprised when he learned that the RinJyuKen Akugata could travel back in time, but it looked like it was a one-time deal. They had enough knowledge of this era to manipulate events in their favor, but the presence of himself and the other Armored War Gods had changed things, forcing them to modify their plans due to unexpected variables.

It wasn't just Nanamomo's death that weighed heavily on his mind. It was her last words as she crumbled to dust in his arms.

His pondering was interrupted when he heard a knock on his door.

"It's open," Nagata answered, and Iori entered.

"Nagata, can we talk?" Iori asked, oddly nervous.

"Sure, Iori," Nagata replied as he moved from his bed and onto the couch with Iori joining him. Whatever Iori wanted to talk about seemed to be important. With how Iori's eyes darted around, it seemed he was reluctant to talk about it.

"So, how are you doing?" Iori asked.

"Well, my body was taken by a psychopath, and I'm a ghost," Nagata answered bluntly. "We all need time to adjust until we get my body back."

"Right, because you're a ghost right now."

" _Spirit_ ," Nagata corrected. "I've also been doing some deep thinking."

"What have you been thinking about?" Iori asked.

"You ever wondered what you would do if you returned from the dead?"

"That's a strange question to ask."

"I'm technically a ghost right now. Just humor me," Nagata requested.

"I guess I'd look for my loved ones to check up on them," Iori stated.

"And what if everything and everyone you knew was gone?" Nagata questioned further.

"Nagata, what is this about exactly?" Iori asked worriedly.

"It's about Nanamomo. I mean, she just woke up one day in her own grave. Everything was different for her. She was in a strange new world. That must not have been easy for her to accept," Nagata said. "Yet, she was still able to move on and tried to live how she wanted to, even when she was a Rinrinshi. Sure, she chose to live a life of hedonism and decadence but sought to do the right thing in the end."

"She really was an odd one," Iori mused.

"She was, and I hope she's in a much better place now. Then we have Bujin Gaim. He claims he isn't Nise, but it was Nise's hatred that created him. I know emotions can be a powerful thing, but I never realized they could be powerful enough to tether someone's soul to this world and stop them from moving on. I also never thought they could corrupt someone's soul so far that they turned into something inhuman."

Iori grimaced once Nagata mentioned Nise and Bujin Gaim. He came here not just to talk, but also to confess.

"Nagata, there's something I need to get off my chest. It's about what happened, and to an extent about Nise."

Nagata frowned as he waited for Iori to elaborate. He was wondering what had happened to Nise since they last saw him. His transformation into a demonic being, while claiming he was not the imposter, made Nagata wonder if the RinJyuKen were somehow involved. They were, after all, undead beings so raising somebody from the dead would not be beyond their capabilities.

"I was the one who killed Nise," Iori confessed.

There was a pregnant pause before Nagata responded.

"I would say I am surprised, but I'm not." Everyone Nise ever wronged had a motive, including Iori. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I just...I didn't want anyone to know," Iori answered with a bit of shame.

"You were ashamed," Nagata concluded. "You didn't want us to think you were capable of cold-blooded murder."

"How did you-?" Iori started but was interrupted.

"Because if you had killed him in battle, you wouldn't have felt so ashamed," Nagata deduced. "How did it happen?"

"I blew his brains out while he was down," Iori answered bluntly.

"I see. I guess you were in the same position that I was. You just decided to pull the trigger."

"Nagata, I'm sorry!" Iori apologized. "Because of me, your body got stolen!"

"Don't apologize. What's done is done. You did something I could only dream of doing myself. It scares me that I wanted to do something terrible like that, even if it was to Nise, and I understand how you must feel. Still, you only did what you thought was right, and I can't be mad at you for that."

"But you still lost your body," Iori said with regret.

"We'll get it back," Nagata said hopefully.

Iori couldn't understand why Nagata wasn't angry at him. He just lost something precious! He should be furious! He should be yelling at Iori for causing this mess!

"How can you not be upset about losing your body!?" Iori demanded.

"Will getting upset get my body back?" Nagata retorted. "It won't, so you shouldn't beat yourself up over this."

"But everything that happened tonight could have been avoided if I hadn't killed Nise in the first place!"

"We can't always foresee the consequences of our actions, especially when blinded by rage. You did not know it would happen. I just hope this experience teaches you to demonstrate better judgment in the future. Actions do have consequences," Nagata advised.

That was some pretty good wisdom. It was a good thing Nagata had a good teacher. He also read some good books.

"Tell me about it..." Iori mumbled. "I just never thought I would ever feel guilty for killing that scumbag."

"Have you told this to Shion?" Nagata asked.

"No, I haven't," Iori admitted as he hung his head.

"You should, but that is up to you. I promise I won't tell," Nagata smiled.

The door opened, and Chouhi exclaimed, "Nagata-niichan, we're ready for bed!" Kanu and Ryuubi stood behind her, all of them carrying pillows.

"Well, guess this is goodnight, then," said Iori as he headed for the door, letting the girls walk past him. "See you all in the morning."

* * *

The next day, a funeral took place. The ceremony was a depressing affair. Many innocent people had died on the night of Bujin Gaim's rampage, and their families would mourn them. Some homes ended up destroyed as well. Fortunately, homes could be rebuilt. However, lives could not.

Nagata planted a grave marker for Nanamomo even if there was nothing to bury. He also put down a plate of egg rolls and a piping hot bowl of katsudon as offerings. He had promised to make them for her before she died, and he wasn't going to break that promise. While they had not known each other long, Nagata would miss her. After all, she was his first Rinrinshi friend.

"Iori, do you ever think about what will happen to us when we die?" Nagata asked his friend.

"Can't say I do, at least not all the time," Iori answered.

"I do, but I think more about the people I leave behind once I pass on."

Funerals were sobering. They reminded people of their mortality.

"Nagata-sama, will you be alright?" Ryuubi asked worriedly.

"I will be, I guess," Nagata answered, not feeling so sure. "If the situation had been different, I think we might've become good friends."

"I believe that too," Kanu agreed. "She sacrificed herself for you. Perhaps there is a possibility that not all Rinrinshi are evil. Perhaps there are more who are just as honorable as she was. Perhaps there is a chance for peace."

"I owe her my life," Nagata nodded. "We need to end this before even more innocent people are killed."

"And we'll support you," Ryuubi vowed. The others shared her promise.

Nagata smiled softly at Ryuubi and the others.

"Thank you."

As Nagata continued to pay his respects while dwelling on his current existence, he also pondered Nanamomo's last words to him.

" _There is a traitor among you."_

* * *

 **KRC:** What a twist! I mean, typically, after such an epic beatdown the enemy stays down for good. They gave Bujin Gaim everything they got. It seemed that victory was assured, but Bujin Gaim still had one last trick up his sleeve and obtained his victory from what looked like a total defeat. Of course, Nagata once more escaped from a terrible fate, and now everyone has to work hard to get his body back. Thank goodness for the Ryujin Key.

Honestly, this chapter had a different ending in the earlier drafts, but I actually like this version of events. It allows me to use the 'spirit body' deus ex machina that I did early on in the season. Now, Nagata has become like Takeru. He's not really dead, but he's not alive either.

I hope I've redeemed Bujin Gaim's portrayal. When I had Nise don the armor, I was actually going for an ironic twist there. Sadly, I failed since it made Bujin Gaim look like a chump and a wimp. And while Bujin Gaim once more went down with a bang, he's not going anywhere. I'm going to do my best to make him memorable as a threat and enemy. By the way, "Seifuku" translates to "Conquest". It fits since Bujin Gaim was an allusion to one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, either Famine or Conquest. I decided to include those aspects with him craving power and conquest.

I'd also like to think that this was Bujin Gaim's most terrifying portrayal yet. Nise has always been a very tenacious character. While he would flee like a coward once the odds were against him, his tenacity would always convince him to come back for more and face his enemies. This determination was carried over to this version of Bujin Gaim. He didn't call himself 'Bloody Gaim' either, which was probably done to distance himself further from his weak former self. However, it was this tenacity that finally led to Bujin Gaim's downfall. Even when outmatched, he still tried to fight. Though, his near-invulnerability and resistance to attacks are probably factors that convinced him he could win despite the odds rising against him. While he went out with a bang, he still had one last trick to assure him his survival and victory.

Nanamomo's one of my favorite recurring characters. While she didn't do a whole lot in any of her appearances, but when she does appear it's always fun. She's one of the most neutral Rinrinshi I ever made. A complete pacifist initially, but she shows here that she can really put up a fight. Sadly, I had to kill her off. However, she did manage to leave a lasting impact on Nagata. Her 'Slowdown' ability is similar to the 'Density Shift' used by Roidmudes. Everything slows down around her. Anyone caught in her 'Slowdown Field' just sees her moving at super speed due to the altered perception. This is the reason why Bujin Gaim wanted her power. It's a shame he had to laugh at her death. He just pushed Nagata's berserk button. Another addition I added was Ryujin Gaim's new attack where he throws his helmet crest like a boomerang. I'd like to call that the **Blade Slugger** , like Ultraseven's own Eye Slugger.

Also, the debut of a new power up for the girls. Ryuubi, Kanu, and Chouhi were just given access to new armor and powers, upgraded by Nagata and his Ryujin Key. Just what else can this item do and how much more powerful have the girls become? Anyway, I just want to explain that the girls' armor is based on their SD Gundam counterparts. If you watch SD Gundam BBW, you know what I mean.

 **TFP:** Well, I'd like to call this one the Epic Showdown (TM) for the chapter. We see Nagata pull out all of the stops to win. Bujin Gaim really didn't want to go down. Even when all of his power was whittled down to just his Lockseed, he still wouldn't quit. That's a tenacity only a demon could really have. And so everyone begins to rest and recover from Bujin Gaim's attack. Iori confesses to what he did, and Nagata reflects on the information he has been given. Things are going deeper than he feared. Still, when will it end? Can these conflicts go on forever? Can Nagata stop it, or will he be swept along with the tide?

 **BL92:** Okay, now that's what I called an Ultimate Epic Showdown for the chapter, and once again Nagata saved the day as usual. But unfortunately, that Neasel just doesn't know when to quit and to make matters worse, he possessed Nagata's body. Will Nagata get his body back or remain a ghost forever? Let's just hope Nagata will win and get his body back in the next chapter. Oh, and one more thing for Bujin Gaim: BOO! I HATE THAT GUY! HE SMELLS LIKE A ROTTEN FRUIT SO DIE ALREADY YOU MISERABLE YELLOW-BELLIED WEASEL! Oh, and one other thing for Neasel in the underworld: *BLEEP* YOU AND GO SCREW YOURSELF WITH A SCREWDRIVER NEASEL! Hehe yeah, that's better.

* * *

Bujin Gaim sat upon the throne within the Helheim Forest ruins. He found this place by accident while wandering the forest. The Inves that occupied the place had cleared out upon his arrival. They understood that messing with him was a bad idea.

As he sat on his new throne, Bujin Gaim mused on his victory. He recalled the failures of his former self and the constant humiliation that followed. That was all in the past. He finally got what he wanted. He finally defeated Nagata Oda, taking his body and his power for himself. He was one step closer to getting everything he wanted.

There was sure to be obstacles to his ambition, but he was the victor now, and the world would soon be his.

It was his **DESTINY**.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #11C: WELCOME TO HELL, NEASEL**

"Ugh..." Nise groaned. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to Hell, you weasel-faced bastard," Horse-Face glowered at him.

"Enjoy your stay. You're going to be here for eternity," added Ox-Head with a sadistic grin.

"What!?" Nise cried as he backed away from the two underworld guardians. "I can't be in Hell! I have so much to do!"

"Now you have much to do here!" Ox-Head picked Nise up.

"Let me go! Let me go! Unhand me!" yelled Nise as he struggled in his captor's grip.

"Don't forget this," Horse-Face hung a wooden board on Nise's neck.

"What is this?" Nise demanded.

"Your new name, 'Neasel'," Horse-Face grinned.

"What!?" the newly dubbed Neasel gasped.

"Now, enjoy your new home," Horse-Face grinned sadistically as he pointed at a pit. Ox-Head threw Neasel inside the pit.

"And don't worry! We made sure you had company!" Ox-Head yelled down the hole.

"Wait, are those tentacles!? Get away! Get away! GET AWAAAAAYYYYY!" Neasel shrieked like a little girl.

"What a weasel," scoffed Horse-Face.

"Don't you mean 'Neasel'?" Ox-Head joked.

"Hah! Good one!" Horse-Head laughed.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #11D: BRUSA LI'S WISDOM #2**

"I must go help my friends! They need me!" exclaimed Kanu as she was about to head into battle.

"YOUNG WARRIOR!" Brusa Li called out, stopping Kanu. "Wait! Before you go into battle, allow me to offer you words of wisdom and advice! _When the dog pees on your carpet, the food in the kitchen will be spoiled._ "

There was a moment of awkward silent as Kanu attempted to process Brusa Li's words.

"...Forgive me, elder, but are you lost? Do you need me to help you find your family?" Kanu asked, concerned for the strange, senile old man.

"Kanu-dono, have you seen-!" Kada suddenly stopped as he found Brusa Li. "Brusa-sennin, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Is he your friend, Kada-sensei?" Kanu asked.

"There you are!" Brusa Li snapped at Kada. "Now, where's my soup!?"

Kada sighed and took Brusa Li's hand.

"Unfortunately yes. Come on, Brusa-sennin."

Kanu watched them go before she headed into battle.

"Remember, young warrior! _Before you shoot an arrow, make sure the dogs' tails are wagging in the air!_ " Brusa Li shouted.

Kada sighed again.

"You need to stay off the herbs, Brusa-sennin."

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #11E: KARA-CHAN, DO THE THING**

Karasu and Nagata were in the middle of a forest clearing, surrounded by a gang of bandits.

"Alright, hand over all your valuables, and we'll let you go," a bandit demanded.

"Kara-chan," Nagata addressed his cousin.

"Do the thing?" she asked as she started to draw her sword.

"Do the thing," Nagata confirmed.

Karasu's lips instantly spread into a cruel smile.

Like a whirlwind of death, Karasu brutally tore the bandits apart. They screamed as blood, guts, and limbs spilled on the ground.

As a head rolled by, Karasu sheathed her sword and sighed. Suddenly, she blushed as she felt Nagata cup her chin and raise her face.

"Kara-chan, you got some on your face," Nagata said as he gently wiped away the blood on her face with a handkerchief. "There, all better. Now, come on. We should be able to reach the next town before sundown if we stay on this path."

Karasu felt her cheeks heat up and smiled as she happily followed her cousin out of the forest.


	15. Interlude II: Baron & Zangetsu

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Interlude II: Sou Gi/Baron & Son Go/Zangetsu**

Sousou had a base camp set up at the foot of Mount Tai. According to the information that Masataka had so generously shared with them, the enemy's headquarters was within the area. Nagata had also recently shared some new information that the RinJyuKen's headquarters was at the top.

Meanwhile, as Sousou's soldiers were combing the area on foot, Baron was up in the air in Zhuqiao Arms. He was going high up, reaching the summit of Mount Tai. He appreciated the new advantage he gained with his wings. The power of flight was a rare ability only granted to birds and gods in this era.

"According to Miyamoto, Braco's army marched through here to Shoku. Even Oda says it's supposed to be here, but where exactly is their base?"

Baron hadn't found any structure that could function as a base by the RinJyuKen. He did find significant places of worship. The mountain was a sacred place, used by the emperors of the past to pay homage to the Heavens. Nobody would even suspect the base of an evil organization to be located in such a sacred place of worship. Of course, Mitsuki wasn't a very religious person himself and cared little for religious beliefs.

Landing on the summit, Baron deployed his talons. He found an old abandoned temple, but little else. It seemed like nobody had been up here for years.

Walking through the entrance, he passed through a darkened hallway. He lit up a fireball in his hand to light his way. The silence was just eerie. It didn't sit well with him, but he pushed forward. There was no sense in fearing the dark, silence and emptiness.

He entered the main chamber of the temple. There were worn tapestries hanging from the walls and writing on the pillars. He also found an altar set up against the wall across from the entrance. Statues of deities stood flanking the altar, looking terrifying as they stood guard. He felt as if the statues were looking right at him like their eyes were following him. It was probably just a trick of the light.

He heard a beep in his helmet and answered, "This is Baron."

Back at the base camp, Sousou was using Baron's LockPhone to communicate with him.

"What do you have to report?" Sousou asked.

" _There's an abandoned temple on the summit, but I don't see any signs of the RinJyuKen ever occupying this place. Maybe Miyamoto and Oda gave us some wrong information_ ," Baron answered.

"Perhaps, but it is the only lead we've got to finding our enemies," Sousou suggested.

" _Well, I can't find anything that can tell me anything_ ," Baron responded. " _I just have a weird feeling that I'm being watched_."

"According to what I've heard about that place, it's supposedly haunted by the spirits of past emperors," Sousou commented.

" _Never really believed in ghosts myself. I'll do another aerial survey of this place. Maybe I missed something. I'll be back soon, Karin._ "

"Return safely," Sousou instructed before ending the call. Sousou took a moment to admire the device. It was truly convenient. There were no delays in communication since messages could be delivered instantaneously. Too bad they lacked the materials to make more of them. Unlike the Lockvehicles, LockPhones did not grow on trees.

Standing up, Sousou checked her map. She had sent soldiers out to find any hidden paths that could lead them to the enemy base. There had to be something they missed, something they hadn't found yet.

The RinJyuKen Akugata were an obstacle for her ambition, and she would not rest until she took out anything or anyone that stood in her way.

Sousou had received some interesting information regarding their allies in Shoku. It appeared that Nagata had managed to surprise her yet again. According to Shibai, who had 'informants' (spies) in Shoku, Nagata could grant special armor to his vassals. Kanu was one of the lucky ones, alongside Ryuubi and Chouhi.

Sousou was wary of such news. While having stronger warriors could be advantageous, the Shoku Warriors might turn into an obstacle in the future. For now, Sousou would need to figure out a way to use them to her advantage.

Once Mitsuki returned to base camp, he entered Sousou's tent to join the meeting. The officers under Sousou were looking over the map and deliberating their next move with her.

"If the enemy does come through here, then perhaps a surveillance outpost should be built here to monitor this place," Juniku suggested.

"It'll need guards. We are talking about monsters here," reminded Kakuka. "Violent, scary, undead monsters." The thought of the RinJyuKen's monsters caused her to shudder.

"Don't worry about that. We still have the Lockseeds I purchased from Son Go so we'll have plenty of defenses set up here," said Mitsuki.

"Do not be overconfident," warned Teiiku.

"Indeed, we can't afford to be careless and overconfident. The RinJyuKen possess the Seal of Heaven and could rule this land with it. That is not something I can allow to happen. That is why locating the enemy's base is our top priority," said Sousou. "How goes the restorations of the belts you recovered from the Kurokage Army?"

"They're in working order. Now we just need to find candidates to use them," Mitsuki answered.

The SengokuDrivers that belonged to those White Clothes lacked the DNA lock function. That meant anybody could use them. Riten, Ukin, and Gakushin proved it. However, Mitsuki wasn't going to hand them over to anybody. He would need to select their users carefully.

"It's a shame that I have yet to understand how the Lockseeds and those belts work," Riten puffed. "If I knew just how they worked, I could make some incredible things."

"Believe me, if you could, I would be amazed," Mitsuki admitted. "Unfortunately, the Lockseeds are a mystery."

Mitsuki knew Riten was a skilled engineer, but the Lockseeds and SengokuDrivers were something way beyond the understanding of people of this time. Riten might be a genius, but even she had her limits.

"That just makes it a challenge, Baron-sama! I swear that I will unlock the secrets hidden within them!" Riten declared.

"If such a thing were possible, then our military might would receive a significant boost," Juniku said as her eyes gleamed. "And your ambition would be fulfilled overnight, Karin-sama!"

"Yes, it would be great," Sousou agreed. "But let's deal with one obstacle at a time. Have our men secure this area. We're packing up and going back to the palace tomorrow."

* * *

Shortly after their return, Mitsuki sat in the palace courtyard in deep thought. He was obsessing over something that had not left his thoughts since he last witnessed it.

"Oda's power..." Mitsuki frowned as he recalled the sight of Ryujin Gaim. He couldn't stop thinking about it since he witnessed the power of Ryujin Gaim. He knew how great that power was. He would be a fool not to realize it.

If there was one thing he respected, it was true power. However, such power was in the hands of Nagata Oda, someone who Mitsuki considered as his rival. It was frustrating, to be honest.

When Mitsuki claimed a great power, Nagata would somehow find a way to surpass it. Nagata had obtained Kachidoki Arms while Hideyoshi had obtained Xuanwu Arms, and both of them had defeated Chojo. When they fought Braco, he defeated them all, but when Nagata arrived and transformed into Ryujin Gaim, he easily matched Braco. While Ryujin Gaim had defeated the Cobra Rinrinshi with all their help, it was still his arrival that had turned the tide for them and allowed them to destroy Braco once and for all.

Nagata was getting stronger and was now at a whole different level from the other Armored War Gods. What was so special about him that the Seal of Heaven would grant him that power? Had it awakened his true potential? Could it be the power hidden inside Nagata?

And would Nagata become a threat to Sousou's ambition?

"Oda, what are you...?" Mitsuki wondered as he tried to figure his rival out.

"You seem troubled. Envious of his new power, are you?" Chosen spoke, and Mitsuki turned to see him. As usual, the strange man appeared out of nowhere. Fortunately, out of common decency, he came completely dressed. Mitsuki didn't want to see the man in just his thong.

Just the thought of it made the Crimson Enforcer shudder.

"Oh, it's _you_ ," Mitsuki frowned at Chosen. "What do you want?"

"Well, that's a fine 'hello' from you," Chosen remarked. "If you must know, I couldn't help but notice you were thinking about Nagata Oda's power. It seems like he's left you in the dust."

Mitsuki didn't ask how Chosen knew what he was thinking about. The odd man probably read his mind.

"He's strong, I admit, but that just makes me want to fight him even more," Mitsuki replied with an eager smile.

"I see. You know, that's what I like about you. You don't back down from any challenge and you don't hesitate to test your strength against strong opponents. Well, allow me to give you that chance," Chosen said as he snapped his fingers.

"Huh?" Mitsuki uttered and then he saw Gaim walking towards them, armed with the Daidaimaru and Musou Saber. "Oda?" In a flash, he had changed from his Orange Arms and straight into Ryujin Arms. "What is this, Chosen?"

"Let's just say I'm giving you a chance to test your might. So, would you like to test your strength against him?" Chosen offered.

"Sounds interesting," Mitsuki excitedly grinned as he unlocked his Zhuqiao Lockseed, accepting the challenge. He didn't care how Chosen had brought Ryujin Gaim here. It could be some illusion for all he cared, but the strange man had given him the chance to fight against Nagata at his strongest.

 **[ZHUQIAO!]**

"Henshin!"

 **[LOCK ON! COME ON! ZHUQIAO ARMS! FLIGHT OF PHOENIX!]**

Mitsuki spread his arms as the Zhuqiao Aura Beast enveloped him, materializing his Ride Wear suit as it became his Zhuqiao Armor. Once adorned in his suit, Baron charged at Gaim with his Zhuqiao Talons and viciously swiped at him.

Ryujin Gaim parried Baron's talons with his blades and slashed him across the chest, sending Baron staggering back. Growling, Baron ignited both his talons and sent flaming slashes at Ryujin Gaim who leaped over the attacks before shooting at Baron with the Musou Saber. Baron went down, but he did not give up. He got back to his feet and swung at Gaim who switched weapons.

 **[SONIC ARROW!]**

Ryujin Gaim parried both of Baron's talons and then kicked him in the stomach. Baron sent flaming slashes, but Ryujin Gaim ducked to the ground before firing an energy arrow that Baron had to dodge before firing another flaming slash.

 **[BANASPEAR!]**

The Sonic Arrow flashed and turned into the Banaspear, Baron's personal default weapon. The sight of his signature weapon in his rival's hand made Baron scowl.

The two closed the gap between them and started to violently exchange strikes. While Baron did not hold back, Ryujin Gaim's strikes were more intense as sparks erupted from Baron's chest.

Ryujin Gaim jabbed the Banaspear forward, but Baron managed to knock it out of Ryujin Gaim's grip and started to lash out with a series of strikes. Ryujin Gaim blocked with his forearms. Baron continued his relentless assault before Ryujin Gaim caught Baron's wrists. The Crimson Enforcer ignited his arms, but his opponent did not seem fazed at all. As the two struggled for dominance, Ryujin Gaim kicked Baron with enough force to send him tumbling. Baron rolled to a stop in front of Chosen.

"Such...might..." groaned Baron as he picked himself up off the ground. He never realized how wide the gap was until now.

Chosen explained, "You see it now, don't you? Can you see what Nagata Oda has become? He got this power because he never gives up and keeps moving forward despite his failures. A strong heart, sticking to his ideals and persisting in making them a reality. That is the source of his power."

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO AU LAIT!]**

"Then...if that's the case..." Baron growled, and he roared, "I will crush it all!" He charged at Gaim to take him down with his flaming talons. Ryujin Gaim didn't seem fearful as he drew a weapon from behind his back.

 **[RYUJINMARU!]**

The sword's dragon-shaped blade glowed. Once Baron was within range, Ryujin Gaim swung and swatted him into the air. Mitsuki screamed as his armor deactivated before he crashed back to the ground.

As Mitsuki picked himself up, he found himself alone in the courtyard. Chosen and Ryujin Gaim had vanished.

It was odd. His fight with Ryujin Gaim caused quite a commotion, so why didn't anyone show up to check? The guards would've probably come to investigate. Even a servant who came across the fight would've immediately reported it.

For a moment, Mitsuki appeared livid. But then he started to chuckle. There was no doubt about it. He finally confirmed it for himself. Nagata would become an obstacle to Sousou's ambition.

"Oda's ideals give him strength, huh? So, I'll just become stronger to crush those ideals..." Mitsuki resolved.

Standing up, Mitsuki dusted himself off. The experience hadn't discouraged him in the slightest. It made him even more motivated to become stronger. He wouldn't let anyone stand in the way of Sousou's ambition.

That was his only goal.

"Baron-sama, there you are!" Gakushin called as she found him.

"Nagi," Mitsuki greeted. "You need me for something?"

"Have you forgotten, Baron-sama? We have patrol duty this afternoon," Gakushin reminded.

"I had something on my mind and lost track of time. Let's go."

"Yes, Baron-sama," Gakushin obliged.

* * *

In the city, Gakushin resisted the urge to smile as she patrolled with Mitsuki. She never got many chances to spend time alone with her commander, so when the opportunity to go on patrol with him came, she took it.

While Mitsuki could take care of himself just fine, Gakushin felt it was her responsibility to watch his back. Besides, Riten and Ukin were both busy right now, and she didn't want to take them away from their duties.

As Mitsuki and Gakushin were patrolling around the city, he spotted a crowd gathering nearby.

"What's going on there?" Mitsuki curiously asked.

"I don't know, Baron-sama," Gakushin answered. "You think we should check it out?"

Mitsuki gave her a nod, and they approached the assembly.

"They claim to be gods! They claim to bring us peace! But all they've done is perpetuate war! These so-called Armored _**War**_ Gods truly do live up to their name! How many of your friends and family have died to satisfy their desire for constant battle? They claim to protect us, but all they've done is use us! To them, we mean nothing!" the man said to the crowd. They were taken by his every word.

Gakushin and Mitsuki were listening intently. Even if they were at the very back of the assembly, the man's voice carried over to them and every word was heard clearly.

"Even the Armored War God of this kingdom, Baron, is nothing more than a vicious warmonger! He always seeks battle, and we have to pay the price! How many of you have had to bury your sons at the prime of their lives? You may call it an honor for them to die in the name of their ruler, but the Armored War Gods and those they serve do not care about our sacrifice! We're just pawns to be used and thrown away!"

The assembly was eating it all up.

"That bastard..." Gakushin growled in anger.

Mitsuki's eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists.

"You think the Armored War Gods protect us from the monsters that attack us? No, they're not! In fact, the Armored War Gods are the reason those monsters attack us in the first place!"

"How dare he?" Gakushin growled at the slanderous words.

"The Armored War Gods expect us to die for them! That makes them just as bad as the monsters who want to kill us!"

"That's it!" Gakushin snapped and was about to break up the crowd when Mitsuki barred her. "Baron-sama?"

"Nagi, let's go," Mitsuki ordered.

"But, sir-!"

"Let's not prove him right," he said, cutting her off.

Mitsuki was restraining his anger. He wanted so much to pummel the guy, but that would just add fuel to the fire.

A long time ago, he wouldn't have ignored such slurs. He would've confronted the guys making those kinds of allegations and shut them up with his fists. However, his time here had taught him that there was a time when violence was truly necessary, and this was not one of those times.

"But you can't just allow him to say those things," Gakushin argued.

"Let's go, Nagi."

"But-!"

"That's an **order**."

Gakushin reluctantly obeyed. The two of them turned to leave but what the speaker said next pushed Mitsuki's buttons.

"Baron serves Sousou as a mere lapdog while she rules us like a tyrant, using his power to subjugate us through intimidation and fear! She's no better than Totaku the Tyrant!"

Mitsuki stopped and then he turned around as he barged through the crowd to stand at the very front of the assembly, surprising the speaker.

"This assembly is over!" ordered Mitsuki. "Go home!"

The speaker recovered quickly.

"You see? Nothing but a dog baring his fangs in the name of his bloodthirsty master!"

Mitsuki grabbed the speaker by the collar and looked him in the eye. However, he reined in his anger to deliver his response.

"If you're so inclined to believe that you're better served with the opposition, then you know where the door is. But remember this: when you do, and you're up against me in the next battle, that was your choice."

Mitsuki released the speaker and was just about to leave. However, the speaker just couldn't help but have the last word.

"That's right, Crimson Dog! Go home and lick the boot of your bloodthirsty bitch of a tyrant queen!"

That was when Mitsuki saw red as his anger spiked.

"Son of a bitch! That's it!"

"Baron-sama, NO!"

* * *

Mitsuki was summoned by Sousou to deliver his explanation. She didn't seem too happy to see him.

"He was asking for it," Mitsuki justified.

"And what makes you say that?" Sousou challenged.

"He was inciting unrest. I had to put a stop to it."

"Gakushin had to pull you away before you beat the man to death," she reminded.

"He had it coming with the shit he was spouting off. Besides, you would've done the same thing."

"Yes, but you lack subtlety," she pointed out.

"You didn't let me join for subtlety," he retorted.

"True, but this is a delicate situation. Don't you think I've been criticized before?"

"How would you deal with it?"

"I make the problem disappear. _Discreetly_."

"Baron, you need to remember that your actions reflect on Karin-sama as well. It will take a lot of work and time to make this blow over," Juniku added.

"So what do you expect me to do?" Mitsuki asked, crossing his arms.

"Offer the man an apology and compensation for the injuries he suffered at your hands," Juniku suggested.

Mitsuki bristled. He wasn't going to apologize for defending Sousou, even if he probably overreacted and was unnecessarily violent.

"No way. Not after what he said about Karin."

"Do it, Mitsuki. You may not like it, but we need to minimize the fallout," Sousou ordered.

"Fine..." muttered Mitsuki, reluctantly agreeing.

"And you should also conduct an investigation on this matter," Sousou added. "I have reason to believe that this is the work of that cult."

"Going by your gut?" Mitsuki asked.

"Yes," Sousou confirmed. "Our enemies want to subvert our authority by claiming our Armored War Gods are frauds. Just keep an eye on these assemblies and gather proof."

"Sera's spies can gather evidence for us," said Mitsuki.

"That's a good start. Now, let's just hope Gaim's plan to restore Rakuyo bears fruit. It would give the people something else to talk about and might fix the mess you helped cause, Mitsuki."

At the mention of Nagata, Mitsuki scowled.

* * *

Mitsuki went down to the training room to blow off some steam. Beating up that guy had felt good, but there had been consequences.

Mitsuki broke the punching bag in his frustration and sand spilled out on the floor.

Adding fuel to the fire was never a good idea, but when that guy started to hurl insults at Sousou, Mitsuki couldn't help himself.

"Baron-sama, do you need a new punching bag?" Shibai asked as she entered the training room and saw the mess he made.

"I know you're not here to help me with my workout, Sera."

"No, I'm not. I heard about what happened."

"You here to lecture me too?"

"Again no, I just want to know why you reacted that way."

"I'm used to people talking smack about me. They do it to get a reaction from me since they know they're not strong enough or brave enough to make the first move. But when he started talking about Karin like that, I just lost it."

"I see."

"She's my family, Sera. People can say whatever shit they want about me, but when they drag my family through the mud, that's where they cross the line. That's why I need you to do something for me."

"Baron-sama, what do you need me to do?"

"I want you to send in spies to investigate something for me. It involves that assembly I crashed. There's no doubt that they'll be more like it. Karin seems to think it's another plot by that cult," Mitsuki explained. "Gather evidence. If you can, bring me someone to interrogate. We'll bust them once we find out for sure they are connected to the cult. We'll do this Karin's way. We'll be _discreet_."

Shibai bowed as she obeyed.

"It will be done, Baron-sama. I shall not fail you."

* * *

Meanwhile, in Son Go, Masataka was in his office and busy working. He had been getting some very distressing reports. Caravans transporting Lockseeds to a secure facility were being attacked. The routes they took were supposed to be secure, but the caravans kept being ambushed. According to the reports, the ones ambushing the caravans were Kurokage Troopers. They took the Lockseeds and left the transporters alive to spread the story.

The Lockseeds that were taken were mostly Lockvehicles. Now, they were in the hands of the enemy.

People were starting to lose confidence in him. It wasn't as bad as the time he was framed for Sonsaku's assassination, but he knew how these things could escalate. With the seeds of doubt already planted in their hearts, the people could turn on him.

The routes were secure. Only someone within the royal court would know about them. There was a leak, and Masataka was going to expose them, whatever it took. So Masataka had a lot of work to do.

"I'M BORED!" Sonshoko yelled as she suddenly barged into Masataka's office. "Zan-niichan, entertain me."

"I can't right now. I'm busy," Masataka told Sonshoko, his eyes never leaving his papers.

Sonshoko sulked away.

Moments later she came back and said, "Maybe when you're done, we could play a game?"

"I'll be at this all night."

"Maybe I can help?"

Masataka sighed. He got up and gently led Sonshoko out of his office.

"Shao-chan, I just really need to focus right now."

He then slammed the door in her face.

Sonshoko let out a dejected sigh and walked away.

Masataka didn't mean to sound harsh and to push her away, but his work was important. He needed to get things done.

The dream he had last night didn't make his situation any better. It was so vivid and felt like a bad omen.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Masataka asked the Baihu Lockseed. If it could speak, what would it say? What secrets could it reveal to him? Sadly, it remained silent, and he let out a sigh. "Of course, you can't talk. You might be mystical, but you're still just a Lockseed."

There was another knock at the door. Sonshoko probably came back.

"I said I'm busy!" he yelled. The door opened. He expected it to be Sonshoko, but it was Shuutai instead. "Shuutai, what is it?"

"Sonken-sama has summoned us," Shuutai informed him.

* * *

Sonken had summoned all her officers for an important meeting. She had just received an important message from one of their allies, Sousou, and she needed to relay this information to her vassals.

"Sou Gi is already constructing a surveillance outpost at the foot of Mount Tai," Sonken informed her court as they assembled in the throne room. She sat on her throne while they knelt in two lines leading to the throne.

"Looks like they're not wasting any time at all," Fuyu said with a smile.

"Sousou-dono is also asking for volunteers to occupy the outpost."

"She's asking us to supply her with a surveillance crew?" Masataka inquired.

Sonken answered, "Just some volunteers to maintain good diplomatic relations. She must've sent the same message to the other lords in the alliance. According to you, Masataka-kun, the RinJyuKen's base is somewhere within the area where the mountain stands."

Masataka confirmed, "All my findings suggests that their base is somewhere within the area. If the RinJyuKen uses any of the paths, we can follow them back to their base. Then we can finally take the fight to them."

"Still, it would be foolish to launch an attack as soon as we find out their location," Ryomo said. "We have no idea of the type of defenses they have."

"It would also be foolish to give them a chance to get away from us," argued Shuyu.

"All our allies should be with us during the assault then," Rikuson recommended. "I'm sure that the RinJyuKen won't be able to recover from such an assault."

"Don't be too overconfident," Shuyu reprimanded. "Even with our allies aiding us, there is no absolute guarantee for our victory."

"Then we best prepare our soldiers for an eventual assault on the enemy base," said Kannei. "I'll be in charge of training them."

"My brother and I will also be present to boost their morale," said Fuyu.

"Shuyu, please collaborate with the other strategist on plans to deal with the RinJyuKen Akugata once and for all," Sonken ordered.

As Sonken dismissed the meeting, Shuyu watched as Sonken and Masataka spoke to each other. Their young queen smiled and blushed as she conversed with the White Devil and the senior strategist clenched her fists as she scowled in envy at the sight.

It just wasn't fair.

* * *

 **KRC:** I'd like to apologize for the delay. The next real chapter is a bit content heavy and my beta-reader needed time to go through it all along with this interlude chapter. This is just a short little interlude. It basically shows what the Sou Gi and Son Go Factions are up to. Also takes place shortly after the events of the previous chapter. We all know what happened in that chapter. I will be getting back into the story arc, so please be patient. In the meantime, please enjoy this update as I work on the rest of the story.


	16. The Conquest of Bujin Gaim

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **KRC: BTW, the review page is for REVIEWS and FEEDBACK. No challenges are going there. If you want a challenge, you can post something on my ANTHOLOGY's review which is series of one-shots on my profile. Just FYI.**

* * *

It was complete chaos in Shoku. A massive battle was taking place. Ryuubi led the Shoku Warriors and their soldiers to fight against the threat.

They were battling monsters.

But these monsters were different from the ones they were accustomed to. They didn't have the distinct markings that identified them as Rinrinshi, nor were they Inves. The monsters they were facing came in all sorts of shapes and sizes that they might as well be from various species.

The Shoku Warriors' situation wasn't getting any better even when Ryuubi, Kanu, and Chouhi activated their special armor to face the threat. The open portals allowed more of those things to spill out and crowd the battlefield.

The same thing was happening all across the land. The capitals and territories of Sou Gi and Son Go were under attack. Ensho's city was under siege and even Kosonsan's city was under assault. Kosonsan hated being left out, usually, but she would rather not be in this situation at all. At least they all had their Armored War Gods.

Unfortunately, Shoku did not have their Armored War Gods. Nagata, Iori, and Karasu were missing.

Where were they!?

In Helheim Forest, Nagata was on his knees before Bujin Gaim. Injured, Nagata could not defend himself. Bujin Gaim looked down at him and raised his sword.

" **Long Live the King.** "

The sword came down.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 12: The Conquest of Bujin Gaim**

* * *

 **3 Days Earlier...**

"Gaim-sama, it's time to wake up!" Kaku called. As she entered his room, she found him absent. "Where is that man?"

" _Good morning, Kaku_."

Kaku gasped and whirled her head around in a panic.

"Who said that!?"

" _Oops, sorry. Hold on._ "

Nagata suddenly appeared in front of her.

"I forgot to turn visible."

Kaku's eyes widened then rolled up in the back of her head as she fainted.

"Kaku! Oh, crap!"

Kaku woke up later in Nagata's bed. She did her work as usual but avoided Nagata. She just couldn't get used to the idea that he was technically a spirit. She also had to wonder if he was wandering the halls while invisible.

Even if things had changed for Nagata, that didn't mean he could shirk his responsibilities. He still had work to do and duties to fulfill. Being a spirit didn't change any of that.

"Nagata-sama, I got those books you wanted," said Komei as she entered his office. Suddenly, she gasped in shock and dropped the books.

She stared at the brush floating in the air as it was being used to write on paper.

 _"Shuri, am I invisible again?"_

She gave him a nod.

 _"Hold on."_

Nagata turned visible. Komei watched the process with odd fascination. First, she saw a transparent outline and then colors and features filled in before she saw a fully visible Nagata.

"Can you see me now?" Nagata asked.

"Yes, I can," she answered.

"Good. Sorry about that. I'm still getting used to this whole being a spirit thing. Sometimes I just turn invisible without realizing it."

Komei grabbed a chair and dragged it over to Nagata's desk. She then sat down and smiled with a curious look in her eyes. She wasn't afraid. She was utterly fascinated and wanted to know more.

"So, what's it like being a spirit?" Komei asked.

"Is this for your book?" Nagata asked. Komei was writing a book about the Armored War Gods and this new development was interesting.

"Well, yes. I always record anything new I learn about you. Now I learn you can live without a physical body as a spirit," she said. "I mean, how many people can say they've experienced something like that?"

"Not a lot," Nagata sighed.

"So, how are you?" Komei asked.

"I guess you can say I'm trying to take my mind off the fact that I'm not really here. I'm technically a ghost while Bujin Gaim is out there, with my body, doing god knows what. I mean, I don't feel hungry, and I don't feel tired. I'm just existing."

Komei frowned sympathetically.

"Nagata-sama, don't worry. I know you'll get your body back."

"Thanks, Shuri."

"But out of curiosity, what else can you do as a ghost beside turn invisible?"

"Well, I can levitate."

* * *

 _Hoto could not reach the book on the top shelf and went to grab a ladder._

" _Let me get that for you," Nagata offered as he levitated and grabbed the book for her. "Here you go."_

 _Hoto was speechless as she accepted the book. Seeing a man levitate off the ground like that was just shocking. She knew from Komei that she had to expect the weird while working under Nagata, but she thought it would be gradual and she would have time to adjust. Now she was presented with something that was impossible._

* * *

"And I can walk through walls," Nagata continued.

"What's that like?" Komei asked.

"It's like I won't have any trouble going in or out of places. It freaks people out, though."

* * *

" _Nagata-sama, it's time for training!" Ryuubi called outside his office. Kanu and Chouhi were with her too._

" _I'm coming!"_

 _Nagata stepped out the door without opening it. He just phased through. Kanu and Chouhi gawked. Ryuubi dropped her training sword._

" _I just walked through the door again, didn't I?"_

 _He received silent nods in return._

" _You girls are still freaking out, aren't you?"_

* * *

"I don't think Aisha and Rinrin are used to me being able to do that," Nagata said sheepishly.

"Well, they are deathly afraid of ghosts," Komei recalled.

"Yeah, I know."

Kanu and Chouhi were afraid of ghosts and ghost stories. It was cute, to a certain degree, but he didn't want to scare the two girls he loved the most. Kanu was his first girlfriend and Chouhi was his little sister. He couldn't bear the thought of them being afraid of him.

"Is there anything else?" Komei continued to ask.

"Physical objects can't hurt me anymore."

* * *

 _Nagata held his training sword. "OK, Touka! Show me what you can do!"_

 _ **CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!**_

 _Nagata and Ryuubi exchanged blows with their wooden training swords. Nagata made sure to maintain a certain level so he wouldn't overwhelm her, but it seemed that he didn't have to hold back as much anymore. Ryuubi had improved greatly since she began training under him, and it showed in the skill that she displayed. She knew how to parry, how to strike, and even perform a feint. She was truly growing as a warrior and he was proud of her._

 _Because of his contemplation, he got careless and she managed to disarm him._

" _This is it!" Ryuubi yelled as she swung towards Nagata's chest. She would pull her punches, though. After all, this was just a training exercise. She would stop as soon as her sword touched him and she would tap him on the chest._

 _However, instead of meeting solid flesh, her wooden training sword seemed to pass through Nagata as if he was made of air._

" _Huh?" Ryuubi blinked._

" _Sorry," Nagata apologized._

* * *

"So, yeah. Pretty standard abilities for a spirit," Nagata concluded.

Komei picked up on Nagata's feelings through his body language. They were still trying to track down Bujin Gaim, but he was hiding somewhere in Helheim, and right now they were still recovering from his last attack.

"What are you going to do if you don't get your body back?" Komei asked. They needed to be ready for the worst possible outcome.

"I don't know. Try to live with it, I guess. It's not ideal, but if there's nothing anyone can do about it, then I just have to accept it," he answered.

Komei knew that wasn't true. He wanted his body back. He wanted to be able to sleep again and to be able to eat again. Not having a real physical body took away a part of what made Nagata who he was. He just wasn't whole anymore.

So Komei said what she believed could offer him comfort.

"No matter what, Nagata-sama, we'll be by your side. Even if you end up a ghost."

"Thanks, Shuri," he smiled at her and she blushed.

It was a very touching moment and Komei wanted so much to hug him.

"OK, I guess I can finish up these reports later. Right now, I got archery practice with Iori," Nagata said. Suddenly, he vanished like a ghost.

Komei blinked and looked around.

"Nagata-sama? Nagata-sama, are you there?"

She received nothing but silence. She was alone in the room, and she felt a weird chill.

* * *

Iori and Nagata were out on the archery range, practicing.

"So, how have you been, _Casper_?" Iori asked.

"Can't say I'm fine because then I'd be lying," Nagata said as he fired another arrow. "This isn't like the last time."

"Because you weren't aware the last time. You were focused on taking down Braco. Now, well, you have no choice but to adjust to being a spirit," Iori said. "By the way, how do you maintain corporeal form?"

"Focus. I meditate to keep myself focused and maintain a solid, visible form," Nagata answered. "It's all about mental and emotional control."

"I'm surprised you're taking this all so well," Iori observed. "I'm impressed."

"Only because, if I panic, I'll turn invisible and intangible," Nagata replied.

"So, has this affected your sex life?" Iori asked curiously.

"It makes things _interesting_."

Recently, he had slept with Chou'un. It was after he lost his physical body. She joined him in bed and they made love. While she was riding him cowgirl style, he ended up levitating off the bed.

And she cried with passionate, reckless abandon.

* * *

" _Oh, yes! Nagata-sama! Yes!" she yelled out as they floated in the air._

" _Oh! Oh man! This feels AMAZING!" Nagata cried as he held her hips._

* * *

"So, I was with Sei and we floated in midair," Nagata summarized.

Iori blinked.

"Wait, you _actually_ levitated in the middle of sex?"

"Like I said, it makes things interesting," Nagata replied with a shrug.

"I'm impressed you stayed solid the whole time."

"Solid, yes. Visible, no."

Iori cocked an eyebrow in response.

"That must be quite the experience for Sei."

"She liked it. As in she _really_ liked it. Sometimes, I just don't understand that girl."

"She's _adventurous_."

"I guess that's one word for it."

"Well, it keeps things interesting if she doesn't mind sleeping with a ghost."

"I'm a spirit. I'd be dead if I were a ghost," Nagata corrected.

"Well, at least this can't get any weirder."

"Actually, it can. Apparently, I sometimes glow in the dark."

Iori cocked an eyebrow.

"You _glow_ in the dark? Like a glow stick?"

"Exactly like a glow stick."

"Well, that kind of makes sense. I mean there's phenomenon of glowing spirit orbs. Maybe that's it."

"Let's just continue training and not talk about it."

"Hey, you're the one who mentioned it."

The day went on until evening. It was dinnertime and everyone sat at the table, including Nagata. Being a spirit, he did not need to eat. So he just watched.

It was dinnertime and everyone sat at the table, including Nagata. Being a spirit, he did not need to eat. So he just watched.

He could only watch. He missed eating. And he also missed the taste and smell of food.

"Onii-chan, aren't you going to eat?" Chouhi asked.

"Rinrin," Kanu scolded.

"It's fine. I'm not hungry," Nagata declined.

Karasu finally had enough.

"You're not hungry because you're a _ghost_!" Karasu snapped. "I can't believe you're being so calm about this! Why aren't you out there looking for your body!?"

Without waiting for a response, Karasu stormed out of the dining room and to her room.

"I better check on her," said Nagata as he excused himself from the table. He suddenly vanished into thin air.

Everyone felt a chill when he did that.

"I don't think I will ever get used to that," Kanu commented.

"I have," Chou'un smiled slyly. "I had _all night_ to get used to it."

* * *

Karasu had gone into her room and locked herself in. She threw herself onto her bed and cried. She picked up her Nagata doll and hugged it.

"Naga-kun, why...?" she sobbed.

He wasn't technically dead. His body was out there, somewhere. But he was a spirit now, so he might as well be dead. How could he be okay with it? How could any of them be okay with it?

She heard his voice outside her door.

"Kara-chan?"

"Go away!" she yelled.

"You know locking me out won't work since I can just walk through doors."

Karasu got off her bed and wiped her tears. He had a point. There wasn't anything stopping him from coming in. Hell, with how he could walk through walls, the door might as well not be there at all.

She opened her door, allowing him in.

"What's wrong?" Nagata asked as he saw the tears in her eyes.

"I don't understand how you can live like this! How can you even call this living?" Karasu responded.

"Kara-chan, I can't afford to freak out or breakdown right now. I need to stay strong for everyone's sake."

"So, this is about keeping up appearances."

"Exactly. We just went through a major battle and the villagers need to think everything is OK now. If they found out what happened to me, they might panic."

"I understand, but we should be out there hunting down Bujin Gaim and getting your body back."

"It's too dangerous."

"It's worth the risk so you can be normal again."

"I just don't want any of you to get hurt because of me. Bujin Gaim's gotten stronger, and now he has my body. This is on me because I dropped my guard and let it happen. Plus, we don't know how to exorcise him from my body. If we go in unprepared, then things could get worse. Look, we'll figure something out. In the meantime, just trust me, OK?"

"Have you even tried asking Kada?" Karasu suggested. "You know he's not just a doctor, right?"

Nagata blinked and he realized his folly. "Why didn't I think of that?"

* * *

Nagata visited Kada's clinic the following day. Currently, the doctor was busy performing acupuncture on one of his patients. Fortunately, he was capable of multitasking so he wasn't too busy to speak with the Musou Seiryuoh.

"You wish for me to help you retrieve your body?" Kada asked.

"Well, you have a lot of experience with sorcery. We just thought you probably have an idea of how to exorcise an evil spirit from my body," answered Nagata.

"I haven't learned anything like that, but I'll consult my books and see if I can find anything."

"Thanks, Kada-sensei."

"It's the least I could do for a friend. Come by tomorrow. I should have something ready for you."

"Again, thanks."

"No problem."

* * *

The next day, Nagata returned to Kada's clinic to see if he was ready. As promised, Kada managed to come up with something that could help Nagata get his body back.

"Use these paper talismans to expel the demon from your body," Kada instructed as he handed the talismans to Nagata.

"Are you sure these will work?" Nagata asked.

"You just need to get close enough to put one on him and read this spell," Kada said as he handed him a rolled up sheet of paper. "You should be able to expel the demon."

"Alright," Nagata said. He unrolled the paper and read the spell. "Well, all we can do now is hope this spell works."

"Best of luck to you, Nagata-sama."

Nagata rolled the spell back up and looked at the talismans. He was going to get his body back.

It was time to take the fight to Bujin Gaim.

* * *

Nagata, Iori, and Karasu assembled in the courtyard with the rest of the Shoku Warriors. Nagata told them about his plan to get his body back and explained how they were going to do it. For this, he needed to go into Helheim Forest with Karasu and Iori.

"Don't you need us to come with you?" Kanu asked.

"You'll need our protection," Ryofu added insistently.

"It'll be alright, girls. I got Iori and Kara-chan watching my back," Nagata assured them.

"I really wish we could go with you," said Ryuubi worriedly.

"If I'm right and Bujin Gaim is in Helheim Forest, then it'll be pretty dangerous," Nagata replied.

"But Aisha, Rinrin and I still possess the armor you gave us!" Ryuubi said as she showed him her magatama earring. "We can help you!"

"I know, and that's good, but you're all needed here in case something happens," Nagata gently responded.

"Just be careful, please?" Ryuubi requested.

"I will," Nagata promised.

"Here." Iori tossed his LockPhone over to Ryuubi. "If you need us, you can call us on that. Our helmets can pick up the signal once we've transformed."

"Just promise you'll all come back safely," Ryuubi said as she clutched the LockPhone.

"We will," Iori, Karasu and Nagata replied in unison.

Iori gave Riri a peck on the forehead.

"Be a good girl while daddy's away, OK?"

"OK, Daddy!" Riri smiled.

"Airen," Kochu said softly.

"Koi," Iori responded.

The couple shared a passionate kiss. Kochu even went so far as to squeeze his ass.

"Seriously?" Karasu frowned as she saw the passionate public display of affection. She then turned and her frown deepened as she witnessed Nagata share kisses with his harem. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"Until we get back, Touka's in charge," Nagata informed the Shoku Warriors.

"We won't let you down, Nagata-sama," Ryuubi promised.

"I know you won't. Kara-chan, Iori, let's do this."

 **[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]**

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

 **[SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]**

"Alright, Kara-chan. Make a door for us," Gaim requested.

Idunn nodded and raised her palm. A Helheim portal zipped open, revealing the mysterious, foggy forest. Ryuubi took a step forward with a worried expression.

"Nagata-sama, are you sure you won't need us to come along?"

"We'll be fine, Touka."

Ryuubi looked over to Idunn who nodded.

"Don't worry so much, Ryuubi. He won't be fighting alone."

Ryugen-Yomi shouldered his Yomiyari.

"That's right. We'll take care of this and come back before dinner."

Gaim clapped his hands together.

"And I'll make the best dinner ever to celebrate."

"Naga-kun, are you ready?"

Gaim narrowed his eyes in determination as he faced the portal.

"Let's go. It's time we buried Nise for good."

The three Armored War Gods stepped into the portal while the Shoku Warriors watched. Shortly afterward, the portal vanished.

"Now, we must wait," Kanu murmured, her hands wrapped tightly around her Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

Ryuubi put her arm around Kanu's shoulder as Chouhi put an arm around her waist. She appreciated the support of her sworn sisters.

Waiting was always the hardest part. At least none of them would have to do it alone.

* * *

Bujin Gaim sat upon his throne as he gazed upon his domain. Vines wrapped around the pillars and he had spawned Black Sproutmen to act as his personal guard. Black, vein-like extensions stretched from his throne and went across the floor. They pulsated as if they were alive.

The local Inves stayed away from the ruins once Bujin Gaim moved in. Oh, some tried to evict him but he was quick to show them that he was this domain's new master. None of them could contend with his power and kept their distance. They could only watch as Bujin Gaim made himself at home.

Bujin Gaim was alone. The Black Sproutmen were just mindless tools to be used and disposed at his leisure.

He didn't remain alone for long, though. He now had some uninvited guests to attend to. Standing before him were the Genesis Riders, Duke, Sigurd, Kagemusha, and Marika.

"So, it's true. You have returned," said Duke.

" **Why have you come here?** " Bujin Gaim demanded.

"To welcome you back and to ask you to rejoin our group."

Bujin Gaim only had one thing to say to that offer.

" **Leave.** "

Duke was surprised.

"Excuse me? Could you repeat that?"

" **I said** _ **leave**_ **. This is my domain and you are trespassing.** "

"Who do you think you are?" Sigurd demanded.

" **The king of this world.** "

Sigurd scoffed.

" _This place_? You're joking. You're actually claiming this forest as your own personal kingdom?"

" **That is correct. I am the most powerful being here. Therefore, this world is mine by right of conquest.** "

"So, if we beat you here, does that mean we'll rule this place?" Kagemusha asked, eager for a fight.

" **You wish to challenge me? Very well.** " Bujin Gaim conjured his weapon. It was a sword with an obsidian grip and a broad jagged red blade resembling a spiked dragon's tail. This was his **Blood Drake Tail Sword**.

" **Come at me** ," Bujin Gaim dared them.

Instantly, Bujin Gaim's throne room became a war zone. The Genesis Riders scattered as they attacked Bujin Gaim, holding nothing back. While he was outnumbered, he was certainly not outmatched.

Kagemusha roared as he hammered his Sonic Arrow down on Bujin Gaim's Blood Drake Tail Sword, but the demonic Dark Rider sent him reeling with a swing then slashed him across the chest. Sparks blasted right off Kagemusha's armor as he screamed. Bujin Gaim then smacked Kagemusha across the throne room with the flat side of his blade.

Using his speed, Sigurd rushed towards Bujin Gaim with the intent of cutting him down. Tapping his foot, Bujin Gaim willed the black tendrils on the floor to shoot up and catch Sigurd. He was bound by the tendrils which began to pull at his limbs. Pointing his Blood Drake Tail Sword at Sigurd, Bujin Gaim strode towards the trapped Rider.

A blast of sparks from behind stopped him and Bujin Gaim slowly turned to see that Duke was the one who struck him. Raising his sword, Bujin Gaim was about to split Duke in half when the talisman Duke planted on his back activated. It glowed and Bujin Gaim froze as a golden light enveloped him. He was frozen, like a statue.

Sigurd dropped to the floor as the bindings that held him loosened and he regrouped with the others.

"About time," grumbled Sigurd.

"Don't complain. We managed to subdue him, but I doubt my spell will hold him for long," said Duke.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kagemusha asked impatiently. "He's a sitting duck. I say we kill him and be done with him."

"I wish to study him. I want to know the secret of his resurrection," Duke countered.

"I agree with Shishi. Let's just kill him and get it over with. We don't need him causing us problems," Sigurd argued.

Marika watched as the three of her comrades argued when she sensed something. She looked at Bujin Gaim and noticed that he was slowly beginning to move again.

"He's breaking free!" Marika shouted.

The spell broke in that instant and Bujin Gaim roared as he stabbed his sword into the ground. The resulting shockwave knocked the Genesis Riders off their feet.

" **That was annoying** ," complained Bujin Gaim as he rolled his shoulders and neck. " **It made me go stiff all over.** " Raising the Blood Drake Tail Sword again, Bujin Gaim advanced on the Genesis Riders.

"Finish him off!" Sigurd ordered.

 _ **[CHERRY ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[PEACH ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

The Genesis Riders threw continuous energy slashes at Bujin Gaim, but their combined attack had no effect as the energy slashes evaporated upon contact with his body.

" **Is that all?** " Bujin Gaim asked, bored.

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[CHERRY ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[PEACH ENERGY!]**_

Four simultaneous Sonic Volleys hit Bujin Gaim. The Peach Energy Sonic Volley contained Bujin Gaim in a peach-shaped barrier, allowing the Lemon Energy and Grapefruit Energy Sonic Volleys to pierce him. Finally, the Cherry Energy Sonic Volley exploded as it hit.

It seemed that it was over. There was no way Bujin Gaim could've survived their combined power. Their Sonic Volleys could kill anyone.

Unfortunately, for them, Bujin Gaim was no longer just anyone. As the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Bujin Gaim was revealed.

He was unharmed.

" **My turn, then.** "

That was the only warning they got before he unleashed hell upon them.

 **[SEIFUKU SQUASH!]**

The Blood Drake Tail Sword glowed as it radiated with black and red energy. The sword then changed shape, extending into a whip-like form. Bujin Gaim struck the Genesis Riders repeatedly with his whip sword before he sent them flying. They each smashed into a pillar before they dropped to the ground. Moments later, their suits of armor vanished as their Energy Lockseeds popped out and deactivated.

The Genesis Riders were all sprawled out on the floor of Bujin Gaim's throne room. Returning to his throne, Bujin Gaim sat down and leered down at them.

" **You weren't even a challenge. You're not even worth killing. Leave,** _ **now**_ **.** "

"Damn you!" Saji cursed angrily as he picked up his Cherry Energy Lockseed. "This isn't over!"

"Genpou-dono, I'm afraid that we must withdraw," recommended Ukitsu.

"You want us to run away from _him_!?"

"We've overstayed our welcome. It would be rude of us to remain. If you wish to stay, then be my guest."

Saji clicked his tongue and shot Bujin Gaim one last glare before all four Genesis Riders vanished via a teleportation spell.

Once they were gone, Bujin Gaim sighed. He was waiting for a worthy challenge. Give him Zangetsu, Baron or even Gridon. Instead, he got the Genesis Riders and they weren't worth the effort. They were just small fish, so he let them go so he could wait for a much bigger fish.

Bujin Gaim was tired of waiting. He was growing impatient.

He grew bored.

Conquering this realm was too easy. Besides the Inves that inhabited it, there was nobody else to oppose him. What chance did these mindless beasts have against his peerless might?

Even sparring with his Sproutmen became tiresome. They provided no challenge since he made them naturally weaker than him.

Bujin Gaim looked at the native plants which spawned the deadly fruit. The same fruit the Inves consumed as the only part of their diet. The same fruit that became Lockseeds once picked by him.

The plant life seemed to respond to his will. Could he extend his control to the Inves? He knew he could open portals with just a thought. Could he use these abilities to conquer China?

Yes, he could.

And why stop at China? With his almighty power, he could even conquer the world.

One of Bujin Gaim's Sproutmen was acting strangely. It fell on its hands and knees as the skin on its back began to bulge. Bujin Gaim watched with morbid curiosity as its skin began to tear as something emerged from its body.

When Bujin Gaim saw what emerged, he could only smile.

He snapped his fingers and opened portals that allowed him to peer into China. He looked upon the Three Great Kingdoms and began to formulate a plan for conquest.

* * *

Idunn, Ryugen-Yomi, and Gaim entered Helheim Forest as the portal behind them vanished. As Idunn scanned their surroundings, she held back a shudder.

"You know, no matter how many times I come here, it's always so eerie," confessed Idunn.

"This forest is huge. He could be anywhere," said Ryugen-Yomi.

"I have a pretty good idea of where he might be," Gaim stated. He was thinking of the ruins. If Bujin Gaim wanted a palace of his own, he would go right there and claim it.

"You sense your body," Idunn stated.

"Yes, follow me."

Idunn and Ryugen-Yomi followed Gaim deep into the forest until they reached a cliff.

"Down there," Gaim pointed.

Idunn saw the ruins and gasped.

"Are those _ruins_?"

"This place once had a thriving civilization before the Helheim plants infested it. Now, all that remains are these ruins," Gaim explained. "Come on. I know a safe path down."

Ryugen-Yomi glanced at the ruins and murmured, " _Realm of the Dead_. Now that name actually holds meaning."

Gaim, Idunn, and Ryugen-Yomi quietly took the path that led into the throne room. As they hid behind some bushes, they spotted Bujin Gaim. He was sitting on the throne while the place was decorated to fit his image.

"Not too subtle, is he?" Idunn whispered as she saw the decorations.

"What's he up to?" Ryugen-Yomi asked suspiciously. "He's just sitting there."

Gaim narrowed his eyes as they continued to watch.

Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers, opening several portals. Gaim could see where the portals led to. He recognized those places. They were the capitals of Sou Gi, Son Go, and Shoku. Kosonsan and Ensho's cities could also be seen. That wasn't the only thing they witnessed as they saw what he was sending through the portals.

"Wait, those are..." Ryugen-Yomi started as he saw the various monsters.

"Kaijin," Gaim identified. "Grongi, Unknown, Mirror Monsters, Orphenochs, Undead, Makamou, Worms, Imagin, Fangires, Yummies, Dopants, Zodiarts, and Phantoms. But how?"

Idunn spotted a Black Sproutman shed its skin and become an Orphenoch.

"He's making them out of your memories," Idunn told Gaim.

" _My_ memories?"

"He's possessing your body, so he had access to your memories. That's the only explanation for _this_."

Gaim grimaced as he was told by this and cursed his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Kamen Rider. Now that knowledge was going to threaten everyone.

"Naga-kun, I think you watched way too much Kamen Rider," Idunn remarked.

"Yeah, sorry," Gaim replied.

"And he's sending an army of Heisei Era Kaijin out into the world," Ryugen-Yomi grimaced.

"Not if we can help it. We gotta stop him here," Gaim ordered.

"Let's ambush him," Idunn suggested. "He won't be ready for a surprise attack."

"OK, we go on 3. 1...2..."

" **I know you're there** ," Bujin Gaim interrupted.

"Is he talking to us?" Gaim whispered.

" **Yes, I am talking to you. You can come out now.** "

"What do we do?" Ryugen-Yomi asked.

" **There's no use hiding. I can** _ **sense**_ **you.** "

"We gotta face the music," Gaim said.

The three Riders stepped out from behind the bushes. When Bujin Gaim saw them, his eyes widened as he spotted the Blue King.

" **Gaim.** "

"Surprised to see me, you bodyjacking son of a bitch?" Gaim asked.

" **I was wondering why I wasn't hearing any screams of protest in my head. You ran.** "

"I'm here to get my body back," Gaim stated.

Bujin Gaim let out a snicker.

" **Really? Just the** _ **three**_ **of you?** **Hm, perhaps you'll offer me a better challenge than the last group. Well then, come at me with everything you got! Don't hold back! I want this to be fun!** "

"Alright, you asked for it!"

 **[RYUJIN!]**

The Aura Dragon lunged towards Bujin Gaim, but he managed to smack it away. It quickly turned and merged with Gaim, changing him into his much stronger form.

 **[LOCK OPEN! RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

Ryugen-Yomi and Idunn watched the Sproutmen and assorted kaijin warily.

" **If you're afraid my minions will attack you, then you have nothing to worry about. They'll just watch. After all, I do need an audience** ," Bujin Gaim said.

Ryujin Gaim twisted his key multiple times and summoned up his arsenal from his Infinite Armory.

 **[MANGO PUNISHER! PINE IRON! CARAMBOLA STARS! BANASPEAR! ICHIGO KUNAI!]**

With a punch, Ryujin Gaim flung the weapons towards Bujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim raised his hand and released a pulse of red energy that halted the weapons, stopping them in midair. He then flicked his wrist and sent them flying back to Gaim who dove out of the way. Several curious Inves and Black Sproutmen were hit and destroyed by the projectiles.

"Damn it, he's telekinetic!" Ryugen-Yomi swore.

"He can read our minds too?!" Ryujin Gaim gasped.

"I said tele _kinetic_ , not tele _pathic_!"

"Argue later! We've got incoming!" Idunn yelled.

Bujin Gaim summoned his Blood Drake Tail Sword as he leaped at them. He struck the ground with incredible force, shattering the floor. The three Riders reeled back in shock at Bujin Gaim's immense strength.

 **[DURI NOKO!]**

Ryujin Gaim summoned Bravo's signature swords.

"Remember the plan," Ryujin Gaim reminded. "Go!"

Ryugen-Yomi blasted Bujin Gaim with his Budou Ryuhou but the energy bullets fizzled before they could make contact.

Ryujin Gaim slashed at Bujin Gaim who released his sword. Bujin Gaim caught the Duri Noko swords. He didn't even feel the spikes piercing his hands. The vein-like patterns on his sleeves glowed as his muscles bulged and broke the swords. He then kicked Ryujin Gaim in the stomach.

Picking up his Blood Drake Tail Sword, Bujin Gaim used it to block Idunn's slash as she attacked him from behind. He didn't even need to turn around.

Spinning on his heels, Bujin Gaim struck. Idunn held her shield up but he broke her shield, breaking her guard, and sent her flying into a pillar.

" **Even as we speak, my armies are marching across the land to conquer everything in my name. Instead of fighting out there, you decide to face me here.** "

"Once we stop you here, your armies are next," spoke Ryujin Gaim confidently.

"And our friends can handle your armies," added Ryugen-Yomi.

" **Can they? I'd like to see that for myself** ," Bujin Gaim said with interest.

* * *

The kaijin attacked Kosonsan's city viciously, destroying anything they could get their hands on. Coming to confront the threat were Kosonsan's (probationary) officers, Hideyoshi, Kenshin, and Kayu. Joining them was Sasuke, a new addition to their team.

Hideyoshi sighed at the sight of the creatures.

"Another monster invasion? How cliche is that?"

Kenshin smiled cheerfully.

"Must be another Sunday, buddy."

"I know, but it's just the timing of it all. Yue-hime and I had plans."

Kayu joined them as she tossed the Matsubokkuri Energy Lockseed up and down in her hand. She was sporting Kenshin's GenesisDriver. Since it lacked the DNA-lock function of the standard SengokuDrivers, she had no trouble wearing it or using it.

"Quit complaining, Hideyoshi. It's been a slow week and we need to earn our pay," Kayu stated.

Hideyoshi took out his Donguri Lockseed to activate it.

"Well, when you put it that way, this is part of our job description," Hideyoshi rationalized.

Kenshin smirked at Sasuke.

"Try to keep up, new guy," Kenshin playfully taunted Sasuke.

Sasuke returned the smirk with a smile of his own, a smile that radiated confidence.

"I'll make sure to show you what I'm capable of," boasted Sasuke.

 **[DONGURI!]**

 **[MATSUBOKKURI!]**

 _ **[MATSUBOKKURI ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[DRAGONFRUIT ENERGY!]**_

"Henshin!" Hideyoshi, Kayu, Kenshin and Sasuke shouted.

 **[COME ON! DONGURI ARMS! NEVER GIVE UP!]**

 **[SOIYA! MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]**

 _ **[LIQUID! MATSUBOKKURI ENERGY ARMS!**_ _ **SEI, YOISHO, WASSHOI!]**_

 _ **[SODA! DRAGON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

Once transformed, the four Riders working under Kosonsan rushed into battle. The kaijin horde charged back at them, with only carnage and destruction on their minds.

* * *

"ORA, ORA, ORA, ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Knuckle was sending the kaijin flying with his fists. He was in his Jimber Marron Arms and kicking all kinds of ass. His explosive punches were filled with a destructive force that the kaijin could not match or defend from. His fists flew with incredible speed and hit as hard as a speeding bullet train. Any monster he hit was killed on the spot.

Knuckle turned towards the guards and ordered, "Get the civilians to safety! I'll hold these freaks off for you!"

"Yes, Knuckle-sama!" the guards obeyed and started escorting the citizens someplace safe until the crisis was over.

As Knuckle saw more of the kaijin coming towards him, he hit his Cutting Blade and rolled his shoulders.

 **[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]**

Knuckle fired the spikes from his Marron Bombers, peeling the outer layers to reveal the hidden punching gauntlets. Seeing he had more and more monsters to kill, he let out a fierce battle cry.

From a watchtower set up within the safe confines of the En Clan's estate, Ensho's new strategist Denho Genko was watching the entire battle with a high-powered spy glass. Denho was a petite young lady with long white hair and sky blue eyes. She wore a pair of red-rimmed glasses over her eyes, giving her a scholarly look. She had some of her hair up in buns, wrapped in black fabric. Her outfit consisted of a sleeveless, light orange robe with white trim and a purple sash around her waist. The robe was short and went down to her mid-thigh. Her outfit included a matching pair of detached sleeves which flared out at the end. She also wore pantyhose.

She was a new addition to Ensho's inner circle. The Head of the En Clan knew she needed a strategist to assist her in her future plans. Many came to apply for the position, but it was Denho Genko who had impressed Ensho the most. She got the job right on the spot.

Denho was well aware that Ensho wasn't exactly the brightest candle of the bunch, but the blonde paid her officers generously. Presently, she shared equal rank with Bunshu and Ganryo, but that would change if she played her cards right. If she proved herself extremely valuable to Ensho, she could get herself a raise and a much higher position in Ensho's faction. She would even outrank the two idiots Ensho had working for her.

Denho wondered why Ensho even kept those two idiots around. It was likely that she wanted a couple of stooges that would praise her beauty and leadership. It definitely wasn't for their intelligence. At least they served well on the battlefield as generals and had good leadership and fighting skills, so they weren't totally useless.

And then there was Ensho's fiancé, the Armored War God known as **Knuckle of the Ultimate Fist**. Denho was quite curious about the Armored War Gods as she had never witnessed any of them in action. She only heard rumors of their godly might. She wanted to know if the rumors were true and they were not mere hoaxes.

When she first met Haru, she wasn't really impressed. Sure, he looked strong, but he really didn't emit any kind of godly presence.

And then the kaijin suddenly attacked and Haru immediately leaped into action.

And she saw his power firsthand.

What she witnessed right now was no hoax and she was speechless and pale at the sight of Knuckle beating up the invading monsters single-handedly.

Denho couldn't believe what she was witnessing, but she couldn't refute it either. This was the power the Armored War Gods possessed. It was no wonder they were so talked about in the land.

She observed as he fought, using his brute force effectively. He wasn't some brainless musclehead. He knew what he was doing. Every swing of his fists served a goal and there were no wasted movements. He didn't make any flashy movements. He just kept on punching, and punching, and punching.

It was simple, yet effective, and Denho was witnessing it all with her very own eyes.

And it was _superb_. _He_ was _superb_.

Denho continued to observe Knuckle. For _intellectual_ purposes of course! She needed to become more familiar with how he fought so she could formulate better strategies in the future.

* * *

In Sou Gi, Baron led the charge as the kaijin attacked. Ukin, Riten, and Gakushin were in their armor and aiding their leader. Bravo joined them as well, swinging his spiked Duri Noko to put the beasts down.

 **[COME ON! BANANA SQUASH!]**

Baron drove his Banaspear into the ground and impaled the unlucky kaijin with multiple energy bananas that burst right out from under them.

 **[KURUMI SQUASH!]**

Gakushin dashed towards the monsters and smashed them with her fists. She trailed fire and smoke as the monsters she destroyed exploded on the spot. Jumping up, she nailed one with a brutal tornado kick then put another one down with a punch.

 **[TOMATO SQUASH!]**

Speeding forward, Riten speared every monster in her path with the Tomaspear.

" _Au revoir,_ monsters! Ukin, let's do this!" Bravo yelled.

"Alright!" Ukin nodded.

 **[DURIAN AU LAIT!]**

Ukin and Bravo hurled hundreds of energy durians that detonated like bombs when they met their targets.

Baron spoke into his helmet communicator, "Karin, the monsters are clear in this sector! We're moving to another sector!"

Karin sat on her throne and replied through Baron's LockPhone, "Good. Now wipe those things off the face of the Earth.

" _ **YES, SOUSOU-SAMA!**_ " Sousou received from the LockPhone, coming from all five Riders.

* * *

It was even more intense in Son Go. Lockvehicles crowded the city as they were spread out to take down the kaijin. Zangetsu-Shin was leading them with Mars and Kamuro assisting him.

 **[YOROI MODE!]**

Several Suika Arms landed to confront the kaijin and flattened them with their superior physical strength. However, they soon found themselves swarmed by the army of kaijin.

 _ **[MELON ENERGY!]**_

Arrows made of energy rained down upon the horde, destroying them as they burst into fireballs. Zangetsu-Shin rushed to take down the survivors with Mars and Kamuro doing the fired from above, raining lasers on the kaijin.

* * *

Finally, in Shoku, Ryuubi, Kanu, and Chouhi were already clad in their mystical armor, leading their friends and their soldiers into battle against the invading kaijin army.

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"_

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"_

" _DRAGON STAR FLASH!"_

The Armored Trinity combined their attacks to destroy a huge chunk of the kaijin's numbers.

"There's so many of them! Why aren't Nagata-sama and the others back yet?" Batai shouted as she struck a kaijin down.

"We just have to hold these things off until they get back!" Bacho shouted.

" _If_ they come back, you mean!" Batai argued.

"They _will_ come back!" Bacho insisted. "Now, keep fighting, Tanpopo! We can't let these freaks win!"

* * *

 **[BANASPEAR! MELON DEFENDER!]**

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN AU LAIT!]**

Ryujin Gaim drove the Banaspear into the ground and a number of large banana energy projections shot out from under Bujin Gaim. They pierced him and held him in place. Ryujin Gaim then spun and hurled the Melon Defender towards Bujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim broke free and deflected the shield with his sword.

 **[SONIC ARROW!]**

Bujin Gaim advanced on Ryujin Gaim, deflecting the Sonic Arrow's energy bolts as the latter backed away while firing. Once Bujin Gaim got within his personal space, Ryujin Gaim slashed with the Sonic Arrow, but the sharp edge of the bow's blade met an obstruction as it collided with Bujin Gaim's Blood Drake Tail Sword. The sword proved to be mightier as it sliced the Sonic Arrow in half before Bujin Gaim used it to slash Ryujin Gaim across the chest, sending him reeling.

" **Is this all you got, Gaim? You were talking a big game before! Think you can beat me** _ **now**_ **!?** "

 **[COCO BOXERS!]**

Ryujin Gaim began to throw a flurry of furious punches as Bujin Gaim blocked the punches with his Blood Drake Tail Sword. A punch managed to drive Bujin Gaim back, but he halted himself by stabbing his sword into the ground.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim swung his arms forward and launched the Coco Boxers like rockets. Bujin Gaim swiftly withdrew his sword out of the ground and sliced through the flying Coco Boxers, causing them to detonate prematurely.

Ryujin Gaim, realizing he needed to think up of a new tactic and quick, shot skyward into the air. He needed to gain some distance and buy himself some time to think up of a new strategy. Bujin Gaim shouldn't be able to follow him in the air, right?

Bujin Gaim looked up at the sky and his eyes narrowed. His blood red cape moved like a living entity as it morphed into a pair of large bat-like wings. Black veins covered them as they spread. He truly looked like a demon now and he took off after Ryujin Gaim.

Ryujin Gaim's eyes widened as he saw Bujin Gaim come flying towards him. The Armored War Devil swung his sword to decapitate his enemy, but Ryujin Gaim managed to dodge as he leaned back, allowing the sword to sweep over him. Realigning his body, Ryujin Gaim saw Bujin Gaim coming at him with another swing. He raised his forearms to block and sparks tore off his gauntlets as he cried out in pain. Bujin Gaim dragged him back to the ground and they crashed into a clearing in the middle of the forest.

As the dust cleared, both Bujin Gaim and Ryujin Gaim could be seen grappling. Lying nearby was Bujin Gaim's sword. The two broke apart and started to furiously exchange blows. The two combatants fought fiercely, neither letting up as their blows echoed loudly in the forest.

Idunn watched in terrified awe as Bujin Gaim was able to match Ryujin Gaim in combat.

"This is bad. He's on par with Naga-kun."

Bujin Gaim knocked Ryujin Gaim to the ground with a punch and was about to retrieve his sword when Ryugen-Yomi leaped towards him. Ryugen-Yomi swung his Yomiyari down upon Bujin Gaim's head but had his weapon caught instead. Bujin Gaim tore the Yomiyari out of Ryugen-Yomi's hands and struck him multiple times across the chest with it before sending him flying with a forward jab.

" **This is a** _ **good**_ **weapon.** " Bujin Gaim took a moment to appreciate the Yomiyari before he tossed it aside.

Vines shot out of the ground and wrapped around Bujin Gaim's wrists and ankles, binding him.

"Use the talisman!" Idunn shouted to Ryujin Gaim.

"Which one?" Ryujin Gaim asked.

"ALL OF THEM!"

Ryujin Gaim slapped the talismans on Bujin Gaim.

" **What are you trying to do?** " Bujin Gaim demanded as he saw what Ryujin Gaim had done.

Idunn took out the sheet of paper and read the spell.

The talismans started to glow and the glow spread to envelop Bujin Gaim's body.

"I think it's working!" Ryujin Gaim exclaimed.

The glow maintained for a few more moments before being overtaken by a dark aura which exploded, killing the vines and freeing Bujin Gaim.

"It didn't work!" Ryugen-Yomi exclaimed.

Bujin Gaim removed the talismans and rolled them up into a ball before he tossed it.

" **That was your plan? An** _ **exorcism**_ **?** " Bujin Gaim asked in disbelief. He snapped his fingers and the paper in Idunn's hand burned. " **I'm more than just a mere ghost or demon.** "

Bujin Gaim made a slapping motion and tossed Idunn across the air and into a pillar. The vines then wrapped tightly around her, binding her to the pillar.

Ryugen-Yomi aimed his Budou Ryuhou but the gun was torn out of his hand. He was soon flung towards a nearby pillar and bound tightly by the vines. Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers, closing Ryugen-Yomi and Idunn's Lockseeds before causing them to pop out of their SengokuDrivers. A moment later, the two of them reverted to their civilian forms.

" **Now that they're out of the way, it's just** _ **you**_ **and** _ **me**_ **, Gaim.** "

"Let's dance on my stage!"

Ryujin Gaim fired blue lightning from his hand which collided with a red energy shield conjured by Bujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim retaliated with his own red lightning which Ryujin Gaim countered with blue lightning.

Bujin Gaim waved his hand and threw Ryujin Gaim through a pillar, breaking it in half.

"Alright," Ryujin Gaim said as picked himself up. "Let's do this old school."

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU! MUSOU SABER! RYUJINMARU!]**

Dual-wielding the DJ Taiken and Ryujinmaru, Ryujin Gaim charged towards Bujin Gaim. There was a loud clang followed by an explosion of sparks, but no damage.

There was no damage inflicted because Bujin Gaim parried with his Blood Drake Tail Sword. Pushing the offending swords aside, Bujin Gaim cut a gash across Ryujin Gaim's chest. Ryujin Gaim staggered in pain and shock as he looked at the mark.

" **Beautiful, isn't it? I made this sword to cut anything so your** _ **impregnable**_ **defense means nothing**. **Also, it's thirsty for your blood!** "

Bujin Gaim seemingly teleported and slashed Ryujin Gaim again, sending him backpedaling from the blow. Ryujin Gaim grunted in pain. Bujin Gaim aimed to decapitate, but his sword went right through Ryujin Gaim like he wasn't even there.

In fact, Ryujin Gaim wasn't there. He just vanished.

" **Huh?!** "

Ryujin Gaim suddenly reappeared and kicked Bujin Gaim in the head. Bujin Gaim turned and saw Ryujin Gaim levitate.

" **Of course. Without a true physical body, you're like a ghost.** "

Ryujin Gaim vanished and reappeared in front of Bujin Gaim to punch him in the face. He followed up with a knee strike to the stomach before he gave him a rapid series of punches that ended in a swift uppercut to the jaw.

Bujin Gaim fired red lightning but Ryujin Gaim vanished, causing him to miss.

Bujin Gaim scowled as he looked around. He could still feel his enemy's presence, he just couldn't see him.

" **Stop playing around and fight me for real!** " Bujin Gaim demanded. " **Or are you just going to hide like a coward?** "

Bujin Gaim was suddenly thrown into his throne, breaking it.

"It's not cowardice. It's strategy. I'm just using the gift you left me when you took my body," Ryujin Gaim defended as he turned visible again.

Bujin Gaim sent the vines to attack, but they passed right through Ryujin Gaim like he wasn't there.

Ryujin Gaim vanished. He reappeared and like a bolt of lightning struck Bujin Gaim in the face with his fist, causing Bujin Gaim to lurch backward.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN ZAN!_ "

Ryujin Gaim slashed Bujin Gaim with all his might, causing an explosion. Bujin Gaim, however, was unharmed.

" **That tickled.** "

"Shit!"

Bujin Gaim's punch sent Ryujin Gaim flying across the forest. As he watched Ryujin Gaim fly, Bujin Gaim covered himself in a black and red flaming aura and went after him.

Ryujin Gaim landed in the middle of the forest, trailing broken trees. He rose to his feet and saw Bujin Gaim land in front of him.

" **I wonder if a spirit can bleed** ," said Bujin Gaim eagerly. " **Let's find out.** "

Suddenly, fireballs, large rocks, and water bombs hit Bujin Gaim and exploded.

The smoke cleared and Bujin Gaim spotted the ones who had attacked him: Baron, Zangetsu, and Gridon. The three Armored War Gods were clad in their Celestial Armor. They also looked unhappy to see Bujin Gaim.

" **So, came to save your friend?** " Bujin Gaim asked. " **How noble.** "

"Actually, we came to see what sent those monsters," said Zangetsu.

"And we found _you_ ," Gridon added.

"Finding Oda here was just a coincidence," finished Baron.

" **Oh, how cute. You think you can stop my conquest** ," Bujin Gaim mocked.

"If you're the source of the problem, then defeating you will stop it," reasoned Zangetsu.

" **Well, now that the Four Sovereigns are here, I wonder how I compare to the greatest of the Armored War Gods** ," smiled Bujin Gaim.

"GO!" Baron yelled.

Baron spread his wings and flew towards Bujin Gaim with Zangetsu speeding alongside him. Meanwhile, Gridon went to check Ryujin Gaim for injuries.

"Are you OK? Does it hurt anywhere?" Gridon asked to check. He put his hands on Ryujin Gaim, only to have them pass through. "Huh?" Gridon pulled his hands back. "What the hell?"

"Oh, just for your information, I'm a spirit right now. Bujin Gaim's possessing my body," Ryujin Gaim informed Gridon.

"...I'm not sure why, but I'm not surprised by anything anymore."

Bujin Gaim slashed Baron's fireballs and sliced them in half before he grabbed hold of Baron by the throat. He then slammed him to the ground. Zangetsu lunged and slashed him with the Baihu Claws, but Bujin Gaim held his ground and struck Zangetsu with the Blood Drake Tail Sword. Zangetsu struck repeatedly, causing sparks to explode off Bujin Gaim's armor, but failed to cause any damage or pain.

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim punched Zangetsu in the face and sent him crashing into several trees. The trees collapsed and fell in a pile with Zangetsu lying on top of them.

Baron lunged at Bujin Gaim from behind with his flaming Zhuqiao Talons, but Bujin Gaim turned and quickly knocked him down with a kick right between the legs. Baron gasped, a quiet scream slipping out of his mouth like a whimper before Bujin Gaim sent him flying with a strike of his massive blade.

Ryujin Gaim managed to recover and stand back up with Gridon standing next to him.

"So, got a plan?" Gridon asked.

"Just one," Ryujin Gaim said as he twisted his Ryujin Key.

 **[DAIDAIMARU! BUDOU RYUHOU!]**

Ryujin Gaim summoned his Daidaimaru and Ryugen's Budou Ryuhou before he went ahead to rejoin the skirmish.

"OK, I'll just watch from a safe distance behind my shield," Gridon called.

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]**

Zangetsu's Baihu Claws spun like drills and he threw his arms forward to strike. Unfortunately, the Baihu Claws shattered as they met Bujin Gaim's chest, much to Zangetsu's shock. Bujin Gaim smacked Zangetsu and sent him flying. He once again made a pile of fallen trees with his body.

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SPARKING!]**

Bujin Gaim felt the heat and looked up to see a massive firebird coming to dive-bomb him.

 **[SEIFUKU SQUASH!]**

Blood red energy radiated from Bujin Gaim's body and blazed. The same energy surrounded the blade of the Blood Drake Tail Sword. The energy surrounding the blade then formed a facsimile of it, several times bigger. With a yell, Bujin Gaim swung his massive energy blade and the resulting gust blew away the flames surrounding Baron. Bujin Gaim then shot his hand forward and caught Baron by the face and slammed him to the ground. Raising his still energized sword, Bujin Gaim smiled maliciously at his subdued opponent.

" **You lose.** "

Bujin Gaim suddenly found himself under attack as purple energy bullets pelted him. Turning towards the source of the annoyance, he saw Ryujin Gaim coming straight at him. Ryujin Gaim slashed Bujin Gaim across the chest, knocking him away from Baron. Ryujin Gaim repeatedly slashed at Bujin Gaim, sending him reeling with each strike.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

A huge sphere of purple energy grew in front of the barrel of the Budou Ryuhou. Taking aim, Ryujin Gaim fired the sphere of power at Bujin Gaim. The resulting explosion sent the demonic Dark Rider sailing away.

"Are you OK?" Ryujin Gaim asked as he extended his hand to Baron. Baron ignored the gesture and picked himself up.

"What the hell is he?" Baron demanded.

"My best guess is that he's a demon and he's possessing my body," Ryujin Gaim answered.

Zangetsu rejoined them and overheard Ryujin Gaim's answer.

"Wait, if he's possessing _your_ body, how can you be standing _here_ with us?" Zangetsu asked.

"Oh, this? It's a spirit body. I had to abandon ship when he was taking over my body," said Ryujin Gaim.

"I would probably mock you for running and abandoning your body, but my rage is currently aimed at that asshole." Baron pointed at Bujin Gaim who had come back to resume their fight. Bujin Gaim broke into a run. Ryujin Gaim fired, but Bujin Gaim ignored the shots as he attacked.

Bujin Gaim struck ferociously, knocking Baron, Gaim, and Zangetsu down, not giving them any chance to retaliate.

Bujin Gaim paused as he spotted Gridon.

"Wait, I don't think we've been properly introduced! You really don't have any reason to kill me!" Gridon yelped.

" **You're a friend of Gaim's** ," Bujin Gaim stated.

"I wouldn't call us friends. We're more like 'acquaintances'," Gridon excused.

" **Doesn't matter. I loathe you by association. So you're going to die too so I can show the world I'm the greatest.** "

"I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning," Gridon groaned as he resigned himself to accept this fight.

Bujin Gaim raised his hand and willed the vines to grab the Four Sovereigns. He then started to play with his prey, tossing them up and down and then slamming them against each other. He spun them around and around before making them crash into each other. He then electrocuted them with the vines. It was a very enjoyable sight, but he didn't want to waste time with unnecessities. He dropped them and liked how they seemed to squirm and whimper in pain.

" **Time to put you all out of your misery** ," Bujin Gaim decided.

 **[SEIFUKU AU LAIT!]**

Bujin Gaim twirled his Blood Drake Tail Sword and stabbed it into the ground. Glowing red vein-like lines spread out across the ground and under the Four Sovereigns. Suddenly, the glow of the veins intensified and exploded.

The smoke and dust cleared and Bujin Gaim stood in a deep crater. Sprawled all around him were the Four Sovereigns.

Ryujin Gaim managed to recover and looked to his comrades. His eyes narrowed as he hit his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade thrice.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

Ryujin Gaim roared as his blue aura burst from his body, taking the form of a dragon. Seeing this, Bujin Gaim responded.

 **[SEIFUKU SPARKING!]**

Red-tinted black energy blazed from Bujin Gaim and formed a demonic visage that surrounded him.

" _DAI RYUJIN RIDER KICK!_ "

Ryujin Gaim jumped and performed a flying kick. Bujin Gaim copied him and did the same as he flung himself towards Gaim.

The two flying kicks smashed into each other and there was a bright flash of light in the sky. A massive explosion followed.

The Inves curiously gazed up and saw the explosion that lit up their gloomy sky.

Nagata was lying on the ground. Bujin Gaim stepped on his chest, pinning him down. He then put the tip of his sword against Nagata's throat.

" **You held back, didn't you? You couldn't risk destroying your body. That's why you lost.** "

Bujin Gaim removed his foot and picked Nagata up. Bujin Gaim forced Nagata to his knees before he raised his sword.

" **So, got any last words?** " Bujin Gaim said as he looked down on Nagata. " **None? No cries for mercy? Fine then.** "

 **[SEIFUKU SQUASH!]**

" **Long Live the King.** "

Bujin Gaim brought the Blood Drake Tail Sword down. He expected to slice through spectral flesh, but his sword met resistance instead. There was a cage of electricity surrounding Nagata, acting as a barrier, protecting him.

"Last words? I got one. Just one: **EVICTION!** " Nagata glowed as his spectral body turned into light that entered the Ryujin Key. The Ryujin Key then shot towards Bujin Gaim and penetrated his chest.

As Bujin Gaim's aura flickered between red and blue, while the visor kept shifting between red and green, a battle raged between old rivals from within Nagata's subconscious.

* * *

Nagata opened his eyes and found himself in the middle of a familiar dining room. It was a place he could never forget for as long as he lived.

His family's restaurant.

"I'm back home," Nagata said in surprise.

" **Not quite.** "

Nagata turned and saw someone sitting in a booth. It was Bujin Gaim. His appearance clashed with their surroundings. Standing up, Bujin Gaim stepped out of the booth to confront Nagata.

" **I'm surprised you had the courage to come here by yourself, Gaim** ," said Bujin Gaim.

"Bujin Gaim..." Nagata whispered with cold fury.

" **You know, when I decided to peek around your brain, I didn't expect to find** _ **this**_ **. It does explain a lot, though. This is where you grew up.** "

"I came to take back what's mine," Nagata stated firmly.

" **Your body, right? I can see why you'd want it back. There's so much power in this vessel.** "

"You're pathetic, you know that? The only way you can get power is by stealing it from others. Then you get carried away with it."

" **You say** _ **I**_ **get carried away once I tasted a bit of power? But what about you? What makes you so much better than me?** "

"Because I use my power to help people!" Nagata justified.

"' **Help people'? Are you serious? Did you** _ **help**_ **the people I killed? Did you** _ **help**_ **the people in Rakuyo? No, you didn't and now they're all dead.** "

"There was nothing I could do."

" **Now that's just an excuse, and a** _ **weak**_ **one. It's funny, really. You used to call my former self pathetic too, but you're not exactly perfect yourself, Gaim.** "

"What are you talking about?"

Bujin Gaim tapped his head with a finger.

" **It's obvious, isn't it? I'm in** _ **your**_ **head.** **I saw** _ **your**_ **memories. And what I saw only makes you look sad. You hated being average. You didn't want to spend the rest of your life working in a restaurant. Oh, no. That wasn't enough. You craved for adventure, even if it meant abandoning the family who took you in and raised you. So ungrateful. You didn't even say goodbye to them.** "

"Because...I couldn't..."

" **Because they would stop you. Tell me, was abandoning your family away for a life of adventure worth it? You gave up a nice, normal and** _ **safe**_ **life so you could run away to play hero. And for what? So you can have a personal harem who worships the ground you walk on? You criticize Nise for using people when you've been doing the same thing! You're nothing but a hypocrite! You're also a failure! How many people died in Rakuyo? A real hero would've saved them, but you did** _ **nothing**_ **. You're just a phony, a poser, a gutless coward and a failure.** "

Nagata was shaking.

"I'm not..."

" **How many people must suffer and die in order for you to enjoy your fantasy?** "

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

In a flash, Nagata was completely clad in his Celestial Armor. Charging towards Bujin Gaim, Ryujin Gaim punched him in the face to silence him.

Bujin Gaim simply laughed.

" **Struck a nerve, didn't I? The truth hurts, doesn't it? I can't believe I considered you my nemesis. I overestimated you. You don't deserve my hatred. You deserve** _ **nothing**_ **but** _ **pity**_ **.** "

"And you deserve to rot in Hell!"

" **And when you realize you can't beat me, are you going to run like before? Are you going to run away like you ran away from home?** "

"I didn't run away from anything! I came back to protect the people who needed me!" Ryujin Gaim rebuked.

" **Keep telling yourself that, Gaim. I'm sure if you convince yourself long enough, you'll believe all the lies you tell yourself so you can feel better after everything you've done.** "

Ryujin Gaim threw another punch, but it was caught by Bujin Gaim who then twisted his wrist. Bujin Gaim drove his knee into Ryujin Gaim's gut and threw him into a set of tables. Bujin Gaim walked over to Ryujin Gaim and lifted him up by his collar. Ryujin Gaim tried to pry Bujin Gaim's hands off him.

It didn't seem to be a fair fight as Bujin Gaim was dominating Ryujin Gaim. Suddenly, dark chains burst out of the floor and wrapped tightly around Ryujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim smirked as he crossed his arms to admire the sight of his struggling prey.

" **You don't even deserve that armor** ," proclaimed Bujin Gaim as he snapped his fingers, causing Nagata's armor to vanish. " **You really should just surrender.** "

"Screw you!" Nagata snapped as he struggled.

" **Why do you even bother? Why keep fighting? This place isn't your world! You're just living out your childhood fantasy to forget that you're still just that little boy who cries every night because he misses his family** ," mocked Bujin Gaim.

"I'm going to kill you!"

" **Ugh, don't you have anything else in your vocabulary but cliche lines? Whatever. Time to stash you away in a quiet little corner.** " Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers, banishing Nagata. " **Now, time to collect my spoils.** "

* * *

Back in Helheim Forest, Bujin Gaim hummed as he collected the Sovereign Lockseeds and put them in a bag. He tied the bag close and smiled.

Nagata had _failed_.

Karasu and Iori were still tied to the pillars. Mitsuki, Hideyoshi, and Masataka were tied up too. They were all gagged.

" **You want to know what happened to Gaim, am I right? I can see it in your eyes. Well, it's quite simple, really. He's back here, in his body, trapped by me. No need to worry about him, though. He's not suffering.** **He's right where he belongs, safe and sound** ," Bujin Gaim claimed as he pointed to his head. " **He's blissfully oblivious to everything that's going on right now. Call it my gift to him since he so generously gave me** _ **this**_ **.** " He held up the Ryujin Key for them to see.

Karasu's eyes widened when she saw the Ryujin Key and Bujin Gaim smiled. He snapped his fingers and opened a portal.

" **Now, time to see what I can conquer next.** "

* * *

 **KRC:** Sorry about the twist at the end. Originally, this ended with Bujin Gaim being defeated. However, I decided to change that around and show him winning. I'm milking him for all he's worth here.

And now Bujin Gaim has the Sovereign Lockseeds, including the Ryujin Key. What is he planning to do with them?

It can't be anything good.

I also think the idea of Bujin Gaim taking Nagata's body is similar to how Zamasu took over Goku's body to become Goku Black from the Dragonball anime series.

 **TFP:** Well it seems that Bujin Gaim just won't stay down no matter what is tried against him. His grudge has turned him into a demon and we all know that demons are notoriously stubborn about getting what they want. What's worse, Bujin Gaim now has in his hands the keys that will allow him to conquer all of China and turn it into his own personal kingdom. Let's hope he can be stopped if there is anything left capable of stopping him.

 **BL92:** Oh, come on! When will that bloody demon just die ALREADY?! He just doesn't know when to quit. He's more like a super demon like in every horror films. I just hope the Armored War Gods could stop him before he conquered China just like the original Bujin Gaim when he tried to conquer the Sengoku World from **Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle**. Also, I know I said this before, I hate that bloody Neasel.

* * *

Karasu was trying to free herself. She attempted to reach for her Lockseed with her foot. She was almost there. _Almost..._ The only thought in her mind was rescuing her cousin. She _needed_ to save him. She _had_ to.

Suddenly, a red and silver blur ran past them and cut the vines to shred. The five of them removed their gags and turned to look at their mysterious savior.

They came face-to-face with the masked visages of the Genesis Riders, aka the Armored War Devils: **Duke, Marika, Kagemusha, and Sigurd**.

"We're here to talk," Duke said.

* * *

 **KRC:** This omake will be **NON-CANON.** It's just a special scene which I wrote for the readers. It answers the question "What if Nagata had a **Ghost Lockseed** and **Ex-Aid Lockseed**?" As it is **NON-CANON** , it will no way affect the story. It's just something fun to write and share. Remember, it is **NON-CANON**. I actually wrote this as a sort of homage to the latest crossover movie: **Ghost & Ex-Aid Heisei Generations**.

* * *

 **SPECIAL OMAKE: A HAUNTING GAME CHANGER**

Gaim groaned as he supported himself against the tree. The battle with Bujin Gaim to reclaim his body wasn't going so well. Ryugen and Idunn had already been taken out, leaving him to face the demon that possessed his body, alone.

Gaim was starting to question his idea of not getting any backup now.

" **There's no way you can win, Gaim. You don't have the power to win. So why don't you just give up already?** " Bujin Gaim said.

"I guess you're right. My power isn't enough," Gaim remarked. "But what if I borrowed the power of other Riders?"

He held up the Ghost Lockseed and unlocked it.

 **[GHOST!]**

The Ghost Armor Part had an orange face, big round black eyes and a single curved horn on the forehead.

 **[LOCK ON! SOIYA!]**

The Ghost Lockseed was sliced open, revealing the image of the GhostDriver in the core and the Ore Eyecon on the lid's backside.

 **[GHOST ARMS! IDAINA SEISHIN NO ME, OPEN! (Eye of the Great Spirit, open!)]**

The Ghost Armor Part landed on Gaim's head and disassembled to form his armor over his Ride Wear suit. The upper half split in half as the middle of the top detached and folded onto his back with the horn flushed against his back. The two halves of the head mounted on the shoulders. The mouth portion folded onto his chest, giving him a black chestpiece which had orange lapels on both sides and an eye-like emblem. His helmet was revealed, sporting a black headpiece and a visor that looked like two large round black eyes over a glowing orange background. A curved horn extended from his helmet crest.

"I believe in myself!"

Nagata had become **Armored War God Gaim Ghost Arms**.

Gaim jumped up and levitated, trailing orange energy as he flew towards Bujin Gaim. He summoned the Gan Gun Saber, which was a black and silver broadsword with an eye emblem in the center of the guard. Crossing the gap, he slashed and Bujin Gaim raised his Blood Drake Tail Sword to block.

The two were in a deadlock as they pushed against each other. Gaim then twirled his arms around to force the Blood Drake Tail Sword to the ground and punched Bujin Gaim in the face, stunning him. He then performed a powerful swing, slicing Bujin Gaim across the chest with the blade of the Gan Gun Saber.

"Time to put you to sleep!" Gaim held the Gan Gun Saber in front of the Ghost Lockseed, lining up the eye emblem with the image of the GhostDriver in the Lockseed's core.

 **[DAI KAIGAN! OMEGA BREAK!]**

A massive eye made of energy formed behind Gaim and the energy from it flowed into the Gan Gun Saber. Gaim swung and the energy from the sword burst as it hit Bujin Gaim and exploded.

As the smoke clear, Bujin Gaim was revealed. While he had taken damage and his cape was gone, he was otherwise fine. There was a slight crack on his Lockseed, though.

Tossing the Gan Gun Saber aside, Gaim took out another Legend Rider Lockseed.

"Now, time for a game changer!" Gaim announced.

 **[EX-AID!]**

The Ex-Aid Armor Part descended. For a Legend Rider Armor Part, it looked strange. Almost cartoony. It was silver but with cartoony orange eyes with white pupils in a pair of goggles and spiky pink 'hair' on the helmet. The mouthplate was silver with a black gap between the visor and mouthplate.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

"Dai...Henshin!"

 **[SOIYA!]**

The Ex-Aid Lockseed was sliced open, revealing the GamerDriver in the core. The Mighty Action X Gashat was displayed on the lid's backside.

The Ex-Aid Armor Part landed on Gaim and disassembled. The top half folded onto his back to give him a backpack while the mouthplate folded onto his chest. The chestplate looked like a gamepad with four buttons on the left colored yellow, red, green and blue in a clockwise order. Next to it was a life gauge. The sides folded onto his shoulders, giving him shoulder pads. The headpiece he had on gave him spiky pink hair on the back of the helmet and also the same goggles and cartoony eyes as the Armor Part in his visor.

 **[EX-AID ARMS! MIGHTY DOCTOR~! LEVEL UP! ACTION GAMER X~!]**

"Let's clear this game with no continues!"

 **[GASHACON BREAKER!]**

A large white and pink mallet appeared in Gaim's right hand. It had a pink A-button and green B-button.

"Hey, Nise! Ever played 'Whack-a-Mole'?"

Gaim leaped towards Bujin Gaim and smashed him in the head with the Gashacon Breaker.

 ***HIT!***

He repeatedly assaulted Bujin Gaim, whacking him over and over again, overwhelming with devastating blows and painful strikes.

 ***HIT!* *HIT!***

 ***HIT!* *HIT!* *HIT!***

 ***GREAT!***

A few swings to the chest sent Bujin Gaim sailing. He smashed right into his throne.

"You bastard!" Bujin Gaim yelled as he manipulated the Helheim vines to attack. The vines lashed out at Gaim. Gaim dodged from the vines while he tapped the mallet's A-button.

 **[JA-KIN!]**

A pink and white blade popped out of the top of the Gashacon Breaker. Gaim then tapped the B-button twice, boosting the sword up. When the vines came at him, he sliced them to shreds.

Bujin Gaim drew his personal sword and lunged at Gaim. Sparks blasted off their weapons as they connected. Bujin Gaim was ferocious as he attacked Gaim with fierce strikes. However, Gaim proved to have the advantage as he broke through his enemy's guard and landed a series of critical blows.

 ***HIT!* *HIT!* *HIT!* *HIT!***

 ***GREAT!* *GREAT!***

Bujin Gaim staggered back. He could barely stand after taking so much damage and he cursed his weakness.

Gaim could see that he had already softened up Bujin Gaim. It was now time he initiated the finisher. He tossed his weapon aside and hit his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade twice.

 **[SOIYA! EX-AID AU LAIT! MIGHTY CRITICAL STRIKE!]**

Bright and colorful energy crackled around Gaim's right foot. He gave it a wiggle then put it behind him as he bent his legs like he was about to run. Clenching his fists, he prepared himself and leaped towards Bujin Gaim.

Gaim first executed a front snap kick, hitting Bujin Gaim in the chest.

 ***HIT!***

Gaim performed a flip and then executed a bicycle kick that hit Bujin Gaim's waist.

 ***HIT!* *HIT!* *HIT!* *HIT!***

 ***GREAT!* *GREAT!* *GREAT!***

And finally, he kicked the Blood Orange Lockseed, causing it to shatter.

 ***PERFECT!***

Bujin Gaim screamed as he exploded and Gaim landed on one knee before standing up to punch the air.

"Yosha! Game Clear!" announced Gaim.

Gaim suddenly felt a pull and was tugged towards his body. His spiritual body faded as he phased right into his real body.

Nagata opened his eyes and sat up. Smiling, he held the two Rider Lockseeds, Ghost and Ex-Aid.

"Thank you."

* * *

Meanwhile, Iori and Karasu were still quite tied up.

"So, feel like we're missing all the action?" Iori asked.

"I think that it would be safer for us if we stayed here," Karasu answered.

"All tied up?"

"Something tells me if we tried to go and help, we'd suffer a lot of pain."

"And what about Nagata?"

"I have a feeling that Naga-kun will be okay without us."

"So...we never really had a lot of chances to just sit down and talk. So, how have you been?"

"Pretty good, even if the situation isn't really all that pleasant."

"Well, we are tied up."

"True, and I think he tied us up a bit too tightly. I'm beginning to lose feeling in my arms."

"With any luck, we should be freed once Nagata beats Bujin Gaim. Think he can do it?"

"Of course. Naga-kun can win. I just know it."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"So, I've been wondering, did you have any plans before you got zapped to Ancient China?"

"Not exactly. My parents were trying to get me engaged to some diva with a very unpleasant attitude. I didn't even get a say. They just told me to accept and that was it. You know how parents are, huh?"

"I lost my mother a long time ago, and my father tried to groom me to be his ideal heir."

"But you wanted more, right? Something else."

"Yes, I wanted to be with Naga-kun. I couldn't become my clan's heir without him around. It would feel so empty."

"So that's why you decided to go find him and somehow ended up in Ancient China."

"Exactly, and I think my life is better now."

"Mine too. I managed to meet the love of my life."

"Kochu Kansho, right? You like older women, I take it."

"Yeah, I guess I've always had a thing for older women. So, what's your type?"

"Strong, noble, compassionate and courageous. Oh, and he has to be a good cook and can make me smile."

"I see. So, I've been told you were a wandering bandit hunter before you joined up. How exactly did you land the job?"

"I delivered their heads and collected the reward money."

"Ah, so you're a literal headhunter."

"That's right."

"...So read any interesting books lately?"

"Kara-chan! Iori!" Nagata cried out as he found Karasu and Iori. With Bujin Gaim gone, the vines came loose allowing Karasu and Iori to free themselves.

"Naga-kun, is that you?" Karasu asked carefully.

"Yeah, it's me."

"And Bujin Gaim?" Iori inquired.

"He's gone, for good this time. Let's go home."

* * *

Nagata, Karasu, and Iori returned to Shoku Castle. Upon arrival, Nagata was welcomed by his friends who were happy to see him. He was back to normal, with his body and his soul right where it belonged.

"Don't worry everyone, he's finally gone," said Nagata as he smiled, much to their relief. Suddenly, he was hit with fatigue as he wobbled on his feet, feeling dizzy. Luckily for him, Karasu was right next to him to support him.

"Are you alright?" Karasu asked, concerned for his health evident in her tone.

"Yeah..." he answered, sweat dripping down his face. "Just need some rest, that's all."

"I'll take you to bed," Karasu warmly offered him before she addressed the Shoku Warriors next, "As for the rest of you, get yourselves cleaned up! You stink of sweat!"

Ignoring Karasu, Ryofu went and picked Nagata up in a bridal carry.

"Huh, Ren?" Nagata said in confusion.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Karasu demanded.

"Taking Nagata-sama to bed," Ryofu answered as she marched back to the castle.

"Hey! Get back here! That's an order! Hey!" Karasu chased after Ryofu. Ryofu picked up speed and broke into a run towards the castle.


	17. An Alliance of Gods and Devils Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

In Helheim Forest, a confrontation was taking place. Two groups, both enemies, were staring each other down.

Iori, Karasu, Mitsuki, Masataka, and Hideyoshi looked suspiciously at their saviors, the infamous Armored War Devils. There was a lot of bad blood between both groups so the tension was thick. They were both volatile and it would only take one wrong move or word to set something off.

"You want to _talk_?" Mitsuki asked suspiciously, eyeing both Duke and Sigurd hatefully. He had not forgotten when they brainwashed Sousou. Hideyoshi was glaring at Kagemusha as well.

"Yes, so there's no need for hostilities," Duke placated.

"And why should we listen to anything you have to say?" Iori questioned. He had his own grudge against the Genesis Riders. Because of them, he was nearly separated from his wife and stepdaughter, forever.

"Look, I get it. We're enemies so you have no reason to trust us," said Marika. "But we did cut you free. So, you owe us."

"I say we listen to them," Karasu recommended. "If they wanted to, they could have killed us while we were tied up. Let's hear what they have to say."

"At least one of you has a good head on her shoulders."

"OK, then talk," Iori prompted.

"We need your help to deal with Bujin Gaim," Duke started.

"Hold on," Hideyoshi said, cutting him off. "Isn't he one of _yours_?"

"Not anymore. We had a disagreement," Duke stated.

"Let me guess. You all asked him to rejoin your gang and he threw the offer back in your face," Mitsuki stated with a smirk.

"Yeah, the bastard had the nerve to do that to us," grumbled Sigurd.

"And he's way stronger than the four of us combined," said Kagemusha.

"So you want us to help you beat him, is that right?" Iori asked for clarification.

"Bujin Gaim is a threat we can't allow to roam free," Duke warned them.

"You mean you hate the idea of someone else trying to conquer the land," Hideyoshi shot back. "You can't stand the competition."

"Do you really think you stand a chance against Bujin Gaim, especially now when he possesses your Sovereign Lockseeds?" Duke challenged.

"And do you really think we would actually trust you guys after everything you've done?" Mitsuki countered.

"Do you have any other choice? You tried to defeat him and yet you failed," Sigurd challenged.

"At least we put up a fight. I'm guessing he kicked your asses all over the place," Mitsuki shot back.

"Why you-!"

"Genpou-dono, enough. Let's not antagonize our _friends_ ," Duke advised. "Perhaps we should have our talk elsewhere. These ruins aren't exactly the best place to have a discussion."

They suddenly vanished from Helheim Forest, only to end up somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

It happened instantaneously, in the blink of an eye.

"Whoa!" Hideyoshi exclaimed as he looked at their surroundings. They were on a path with long grass all around them.

"Where are we?" demanded Iori.

"Near Sou Gi's southern border," Duke answered.

"He's right. I recognize this place," Mitsuki confirmed.

"As I said before, Bujin Gaim is a threat. You can't deny this. If he was allowed to roam free with that kind of power at his disposal, there is no telling what kind of damage he can cause to this land. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already started," said Duke.

"He already sent an invasion force."

"And that's only the beginning. Now he has the power of the Sovereigns. Do you really think you can afford to refuse the extra help?"

Duke had a good point, even if the Armored War Gods didn't want to agree with him. He was right. Bujin Gaim was powerful and dangerous. He needed to be stopped.

But, to work with their enemies was still risky.

Wasn't it a risk worth taking, though?

Karasu wanted to save Nagata and she would do anything to do it.

"I want to save Naga-kun," said Karasu. "What about you, Tokugawa-sempai? He is your best friend, after all."

"You're right, Oda-san," agreed Iori.

"Don't think you can speak for all of us, Tokugawa," Mitsuki retorted.

"Indeed. We may be allies but we still have our own allegiances," Masataka added.

"Well, count me in," said Hideyoshi. "Nagata's the one who helped us get back on our feet. I can't leave him hanging." He turned his gaze towards the Genesis Riders and glared. "Of course, I would much prefer to do it without _their_ help."

"I can see you all need time to reach a consensus. When you're prepared to talk, use this to summon us," said Duke as he handed a talisman to Karasu.

In the blink of an eye, the Genesis Riders were gone. Karasu looked at the talisman she just got. She then turned to look at Mitsuki and Masataka.

"Are you both really not going to accept their help?" she asked pointedly.

"I don't trust them," Mitsuki stated.

"They could use this chance to stab us in the back," Masataka added. "We can't take that risk."

"But we need to save Naga-kun!" Karasu insisted.

"And we will," said Masataka. "But only on our terms. This isn't a decision you can make for us."

"We should put this to a vote," Iori offered.

"So the majority rules? Count me out," Mitsuki said as he crossed his arms in objection. It was either unanimous or not at all.

"It is the most democratic method," Masataka reasoned.

"Whatever. I'm not opposed to kicking Bujin Gaim's ass. Just don't expect me to work with those slimy snakes."

"So, what will you do?" Iori asked pointedly.

"I gotta head back to Sou Gi. Karin's probably wondering where I am."

"And I'm needed back in Son Go."

"I gotta go too. Yue-hime gets worried if I'm away for too long."

Mitsuki, Hideyoshi, and Masataka activated their Lockvehicle bikes and sped away, leaving Karasu and Iori to wonder what to do next.

"Why can't they set aside their grudges to save Naga-kun?" Karasu wondered angrily.

"It can't be helped. There's too much bad blood between our groups," Iori answered.

"It shouldn't matter when there's a threat this huge."

"I know, but we can't force them to comply."

"Hmph!"

"So, when we get back, who's going to break the news?"

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 13-1: An Alliance of Gods and Devils (Part 1)**

* * *

Karasu and Iori stepped out of the portal and into the courtyard. The Shoku Warriors were waiting for them.

"We're back," Iori called as he and Karasu returned.

"Welcome back, Airen," Kochu greeted her husband when he came home.

"What happened here?" Iori asked as he saw all the damage surrounding them.

"We were attacked by a horde of monsters while you were away," Kochu explained.

"How bad was it?" Karasu asked. Seeing as they all survived, she was a little disappointed.

"We were neck deep in trouble when they suddenly withdrew," answered Batai.

"Hold on, where's Nagata-sama?" Kanu asked as she noticed his absence. "Why isn't he with you?"

Iori and Karasu fell silent as they shared sad and shameful looks. They needed to deliver the bad news. This wasn't something they could keep from the girls.

"I'm sorry. We lost him," Iori regretfully informed them.

The Shoku Warriors were stunned by the news.

"What do you mean you _lost_ him?" Ryuubi asked, dreading the worst. "What happened to him?"

"He's not dead if that's what you're wondering. It's much _worse_. When Naga-kun tried to get his body back, Bujin Gaim did something to trap him," Karasu explained.

"So, not only does Bujin Gaim possess Nagata's body, he now possesses his soul. We gave him what he wanted," Iori concluded with no small amount of guilt.

Everyone was speechless. Iori and Karasu could see that Ryuubi and Chouhi were distraught. Kanu was struggling to maintain her composure as she comforted her sisters. She couldn't fall apart now. Ryofu was shaking as she dropped her weapon. Bacho and Chou'un both looked incredibly upset.

They needed time to process this, but it was time that they didn't have.

"Assemble the Round Table," Karasu commanded. "We have more to tell you and we can't do it out here."

"Al...Alright..." Komei said shakily.

The Shoku Warriors were still reeling from the revelation that they lost Nagata, but they needed to compose themselves. When a meeting at the Round Table was called, it was always an important matter.

The Shoku Warriors assembled at the Round Table to talk about the situation. Iori and Karasu told them that Mitsuki, Masataka, and Hideyoshi had also come to help when they confronted Bujin Gaim. They even went into their Sovereign Arms to do it. The fight should've been in their favor since it was Four Sovereigns against one demonic Dark Rider.

They sorely underestimated Bujin Gaim. They were all defeated and Bujin Gaim made off with the Sovereign Lockseeds, Nagata's Ryujin Key, and his soul.

"Bujin Gaim...has the power...of the **Four** **Sovereigns**!?" Komei yelled. "Hawawawawa! This is terrible! TERRIBLE!"

The Four Sovereigns were supposed to protect the land, but now their power had fallen into the wrong hands. With that kind of power at his disposal, Bujin Gaim could do anything.

"I don't think we need to worry about Bujin Gaim using that power," said Karasu.

"But how!? There's no telling what he could do with that power!" Komei cried.

"Because if he was planning to use them, he would've done it by now."

"Or maybe he _can't_ use them," Iori added. "The Sovereign Lockseeds won't work for anyone else but the ones that were chosen to use them. So, it's safe to say that Bujin Gaim won't be able to use them."

"It still isn't good that he has them, though," said Chou'un. "Why is he keeping them for anyway if he's not able to use them?"

"Trophies, most likely," Kanu said. "Bujin Gaim used to be an ambitious man who sought after glory. He would definitely brag about defeating the Four Sovereigns after claiming their power source as proof of his achievements."

"Yeah, sounds like the jerk we all know and hate," Bacho recalled.

"So, what are we going to do?" Ryuubi asked.

"We're going to stop him, that's what," said Iori. "I still have my Yomotsuheguri Lockseed."

"But Bujin Gaim was able to defeat the Four Sovereigns," Kochu reminded. "I know we have plenty of allies, but I doubt it would be enough against Bujin Gaim."

"Well, here's the other bit of surprising news. The Armored War Devils offered to join forces with us to take down Bujin Gaim."

The Shoku Warriors did not take that bit of news so well.

"An Alliance with those Devils!? Are you mad!?" Chinkyuu shouted. She had a good reason to protest the idea. The Armored War Devils were the cause for her trauma. She managed to get over it, but she would never get over her hatred for those monsters.

"We can't trust these guys," added Bacho. "They'll stab us in the back the first chance they get."

"And they're the ones who destroyed my home village!" Chinkyuu cried. Ryofu patted her shoulder to calm her down.

"And took you away from me, Airen," said Kochu.

"Can't we rescue Nagata-niichan without them?" Chouhi asked.

"We tried to get his body back on our own, and look how _that_ turned out," Iori reminded.

"Whatever grudges you have against Ukitsu and his group should be set aside," Karasu said sternly. "We need to remember what's important, and that's rescuing Naga-kun."

"Yes, Idunn-sama's right. We need to save Nagata-sama," Ryuubi agreed. "If we want to do that we're going to need help."

"This is like Braco all over again," sighed Komei. "But now the odds are really stacked against us with the Sovereign Lockseeds and Nagata-sama gone. We'll need to call in all the help we can get."

"Are you _seriously_ suggesting we accept _their_ help?" Chinkyuu hissed.

"' _The enemy of my enemy is my friend'_ ," Karasu quoted. "A wise man once said that. Like it or not, we might need their help to save Naga-kun. And you all know that he would do _anything_ to save us. We have to be prepared to do the same for him."

"Touka, this is your call," Iori said to the rosette. With Nagata gone, Ryuubi was the leader of the Shoku Warriors.

Ryuubi considered their option. They needed to save Nagata, but they were now outmatched and outgunned. They needed help, but the ones offering were their enemies. This was not an easy decision to make.

But it was a decision she needed to make.

* * *

Hideyoshi was in his room, mulling over what happened. He was beaten, and he lost his Xuanwu Lockseed. This day couldn't possibly get any worse.

Oh, right. It could. They now had a demonic power hungry warlord on the loose with their Sovereign Lockseeds. With someone that ambitious and powerful roaming free, there was no telling what kind of damage he could do.

It would be like Chojo's reign of terror all over again, probably even worse.

As he lay in bed, he felt something vibrate in his pocket. He took out his LockPhone and saw the message displayed on the screen. His eyes widened as he saw it.

"So, that's their decision."

* * *

In Sou Gi, Mitsuki was pounding on a punching bag to vent out his frustration when his own LockPhone rang.

He read the message and hit the punching bag so hard that it broke off its chain.

"Should've known."

* * *

Meanwhile, in Son Go, Masataka was in his office and going over some paperwork when his LockPhone went off.

He read the message and clenched his LockPhone tightly.

"Unbelievable..."

* * *

"Teaming up with the _Legion of Doom_. Now that's a _great_ plan," Kenshin said sarcastically.

Hideyoshi told Kenshin about what happened. He also told him what took place afterward and the message he got on his LockPhone.

The message came from Iori.

Hideyoshi was being called to a meeting...with the Armored War Devils.

"Kenshin, you can drop the sarcasm," Hideyoshi deadpanned.

"Dude, what you're doing is fucking dumb! You can't trust these guys! Don't you remember? They're the reason Chojo was able to take over China! She made us her lapdogs and worst of all she locked up poor Yue!"

"I know that, OK? I was there. We all were."

The guilt he felt for allowing Chojo to lock up Totaku had never left him.

"But you're still going through with this, ain't ya?"

"Look at the big picture, _Ushio_. We need all hands on deck to beat this thing. Bujin Gaim needs to be stopped, and if it means working with _them_ then I'll make a deal with the Devil to save everyone."

Kenshin gave him a dejected look and sighed.

" _Takada_ , I'll fight by your side since we're bros. I just don't know if I can do that with you when you'll be working with _them_."

Kenshin turned and walked away.

"Kenshin, wait...Why can't this ever be easy?" Hideyoshi pondered out loud.

While Hideyoshi tried to come up with an answer, he heard Kenshin call him.

"Hey, buddy! Catch!"

Kenshin tossed Hideyoshi his GenesisDriver and Matsubokkuri Energy Lockseed. Hideyoshi fumbled a bit to catch them.

"You're just giving these to me?" Hideyoshi asked, surprised.

"I'm letting you _borrow_ them. Since you don't have your Xuanwu Lockseed, you're gonna need them for this mission. Just give them back once you're done," Kenshin explained.

Hideyoshi smiled and bowed. With this equipment, it would be almost like having Kenshin there with him.

"Thank you!"

"Hey, we're bros for life. I'll always have your back."

"Yeah, bros for life."

"Promise you'll knock 'em dead for me. You got that, buddy?"

"I will!"

"Just don't get killed, OK? I don't want to be the one to break the bad news to Yue."

"Don't worry, Kenshin. I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"Well, if you do die, can I have all your stuff?"

The two of them shared a laugh.

"No, seriously. If you die, can I have your stuff?"

* * *

Mitsuki, Masataka, and Hideyoshi came to Touka Village and stood in front of Shoku Castle with Iori and Karasu.

"Is this really the right choice?" Masataka asked.

"No, but it's the only option we've got," Iori answered.

"I still don't like this," Mitsuki stated.

"We know. You don't have to keep reminding us," Hideyoshi retorted.

Karasu looked at the talisman Ukitsu had given her and activated it. As soon as she did, a magic circle appeared on the ground. It was a Taoist emblem. Soon, Ukitsu emerged from the emblem and was standing in front of them. He wasn't alone, though. Accompanying him were his subordinates Saji Genpou, Shishi Ouin, and the beautiful Diaochan.

The Armored War Gods had every reason to hate and distrust Ukitsu and his faction. Any other day, their groups would clash. The Armored War Gods were eager to make their counterparts answer for their crimes.

Sadly, this was not one of those days. They had a truce and would soon be joining forces.

"Thank you for having us," Ukitsu smiled in greeting. Seeing that smile made Hideyoshi and Mitsuki both want to wipe it off.

"Let's just get straight to the matter at hand," Iori said sternly.

"Lead the way, please."

The Armored War Devils walked behind Iori and Karasu while Masataka, Hideyoshi, and Mitsuki brought up the rear. They may not be enemies right now, but the Armored War Devils needed to be watched.

"Don't try anything funny. We're watching you," Mitsuki warned.

Saji looked over his shoulder and scoffed.

They arrived at the Round Table room. Ukitsu took a moment to admire it. He had heard about it. This was where the Shoku Warriors and the Alliance would meet on occasion to discuss important matters, most importantly about their war.

"Ah, so this is the _famed_ Round Table of Shoku," Ukitsu admired. "It's very fitting."

"Everyone, take a seat," Iori said curtly. Everyone took an empty seat. The Armored War Devils sat close to each other while the Armored War Gods sat adjacent to each other.

Ukitsu caught sight of the looks of distrust from the Armored War Gods. His comrades were receiving the same looks.

"I'll make something clear: we may have a common enemy, but that doesn't make us friends," Iori said. "This is an alliance based on mere convenience, not trust."

"So you're not as foolish as I thought," Ukitsu replied. "But, wasn't it _you_ who caused this by killing Nise in the first place?"

Iori grimaced but didn't reply. For Ukitsu, that was confirmation enough.

"That doesn't matter," Karasu retorted. "What really matters is that we're all here because Bujin Gaim needs to be stopped."

"You also want to save Gaim since Bujin Gaim has possessed him," Ukitsu added.

"So, right now Bujin Gaim is in Gaim's body, huh?" Shishi grinned. "Oh, now this just gets better and better."

"There's nothing good about this," Iori shot back as he glared at Shishi.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong. You see, if we destroy Bujin Gaim, we get to destroy Gaim as well."

A dagger was flung towards Shishi and it cut his cheek before it stuck to the wall.

Karasu stood up with her arm extended and a murderous look in her eyes. Shishi touched his cheek and saw the blood on his fingertips.

"You bitch!" Shishi stood up to retaliate. Immediately, the Armored War Gods stood up and glared at him, daring him to attack.

"Sit down, Shishi-dono," Ukitsu advised.

"But, Ukitsu-!"

"Sit down, Shishi-dono. _Now_."

Shishi grumbled and reluctantly sat back down. The Armored War Gods sat back down too.

"You have no tact," Diaochan berated Shishi.

"Whatever," Shishi muttered as he rolled his eyes.

"Please excuse my comrade. What he means to say is that we may not have a choice but to destroy Gaim-dono along with Bujin Gaim," said Ukitsu.

"Which is good for you," Hideyoshi retorted. "One less threat to your plans."

"Do you really think he can be saved at this point?" Ukitsu questioned. "I'm sorry, but even if he's still in there, there's no way of getting him back."

"He saved us when that monster ate us," Karasu said firmly. "I'm not going to let my cousin suffer the same fate."

"And what if you can't save your cousin? Then what will you do?"

Karasu didn't answer as her fists trembled.

"We may need to sacrifice Oda-kun if there's no other way," said Masataka logically. "One life for millions. I think the math speaks for itself."

"That's cold of you, White Devil," Ukitsu remarked. He approved.

"It's not ideal, but it's logical. That doesn't mean it's our only solution, but if Oda-kun can't be saved then as a last resort we'll have to destroy him along with Bujin Gaim."

"We're not killing Naga-kun!" Karasu protested.

"Yeah, nobody is killing Oda!" Mitsuki concurred as he pounded the table.

"Never pegged you as the sentimental type, Crimson Enforcer," Ukitsu remarked.

"I have my reasons, and nobody is killing Oda if I can help it," Mitsuki strongly reaffirmed.

"Well, right now, Bujin Gaim is wearing his body and on the loose. There's no telling what kind of damage he's causing," Ukitsu warned.

"Well, figure out a way to save Oda without killing him," Mitsuki insisted.

"The Blood Orange Lockseed," Iori said. "This whole thing started when Bujin Gaim's Lockseed got into Nagata's SengokuDriver."

"How did it get there?" Ukitsu asked.

"It did it by itself. It was like it was alive," Iori answered.

"Then that's it. Bujin Gaim's consciousness is contained in that Lockseed. If we take the Lockseed, he should leave his host," Ukitsu concluded.

"That might sound easy, but I doubt he will let us get close enough to grab the Lockseed," Hideyoshi said.

"Then we'll have to trap him. Fortunately for you, I know a way to do it. But to do this, I'm going to need some help," said Ukitsu.

"What kind of help do you need?" Iori asked.

"Just some old friends that you could call over if you'll be so kind," Ukitsu answered with a smile.

"Then we'll ask for something too," Mitsuki retorted.

"Name it."

"We want the location of the RinJyuKen Akugata's base."

The Armored War Gods all stared expectantly at the Armored War Devils.

"You expect me to give up their location?" Ukitsu almost found that amusing.

Mitsuki pressed on, "Exactly. It's funny how you're complaining about one monster who wants to take over China when you're working with a whole bunch of them who want the same thing."

"We and the RinJyuKen Akugata share a common goal. We want to change the world. As allies, we cannot betray each other. So, I'm sorry, but I will not reveal their location to you. We won't give up their location. It would be dishonorable."

"What a joke! Like any of you care about honor!"

Both sides rose up from their seats. It would appear they were close to coming to blows. Tensions were rising and this needed to stop before it escalated.

Karasu slammed her palm on the table.

"Enough!" she shouted. "This meeting is about rescuing Naga-kun! Not an exchange of information! Now sit down! If the next words are not about saving Naga-kun, then shut up!"

Both sides reluctantly complied.

"We'll get you whatever you need," Karasu said to Ukitsu.

"Thank you."

* * *

"Kada, good to see you," Ukitsu greeted the red-haired doctor warmly.

"Ukitsu," Kada replied curtly.

"Looks like we'll be working closely together. Oh, and Choho. It's been such a long time, hasn't it? How's your singing career with your sisters?"

Choho glared at Ukitsu.

Marcus stepped forward to give Ukitsu a warning. "I'm keeping my eye on you."

"I see you're still upset about what happened," Ukitsu said as he adjusted his glasses.

"You _brainwashed_ me!" Marcus snapped.

"I was merely helping you to open your mind a little."

"Well, you also brainwashed my angels!" Marcus snapped.

"Brainwashed them? Hardly. I didn't do anything beyond giving them the book. All they did with it, they did it of their own free will," Ukitsu retorted.

"But you knew the book would corrupt them," said Kada. "You know what it does, Ukitsu. It's dangerous."

"For the weak-minded, perhaps. An amateur sorcerer would have their mind warped so easily. It takes a strong mind to resist."

"We almost went to war because of that book," Choho growled.

"Like I said. You need a strong mind to resist the book's power. You just weren't strong enough."

"You bastard!" Choho screamed and made a move to attack Ukitsu, but Marcus held her back. "Let me go!"

"Calm down, Chiiho-chan. Now is not the time," Marcus calmly talked her down.

"So, I assume you're both well-versed in exorcisms," Ukitsu said as he fixed Choho and Kada with a critical look.

"I know _plenty_ ," Kada stated confidently.

"And I've studied up," Choho added defensively.

"Good, at least you two won't be completely useless," Ukitsu remarked. "Just follow my lead and we may just live through this."

Choho gritted out as she glared at Ukitsu, "I hate him."

"I know," Marcus said as he comforted his blue-haired lover. "Just, for now, let's work with him. After this is over, we can go back to planning his death."

They agreed to use the Round Table room for the trap. The Round Table itself had to be moved to make space.

A magic circle was drawn in the middle of the floor. It was a hexagram with numerous Chinese sigils drawn in and a Taoist symbol in the center.

"So this is your binding circle? And you're sure it will work?" Iori asked Ukitsu.

"Of course it will work. This is a very powerful binding circle used to trap the strongest of demons. Once Bujin Gaim is trapped inside, his power and strength will be sapped," Ukitsu explained.

"Was it necessary to mix blood in with the ink, though?" Choho held her bandaged hand.

"It's part of the ritual. Blood is a very powerful ingredient for these sorts of things," Ukitsu justified.

"It's true, although I wouldn't exactly advocate the use of blood magic," Kada said with a frown.

"Of course _you_ wouldn't. That's why I'm the _superior_ sorcerer."

"Alright, now that we have our binding circle how are we supposed to get Bujin Gaim into the circle?" Karasu asked. "It's not like we can ask him to walk right in."

"Use these talismans," Ukitsu instructed as he handed the paper talismans to Karasu. "You're going to need them to get him inside."

"We tried using talismans before. They didn't work the last time we used them."

"You got those talismans from Kada, and his work is second rate at best. These will work."

Kada glared as he was insulted.

"And he'll be transported into this circle?" Iori asked for clarification.

"You just have to get at least one of the talismans on him and the spell I pre-casted will transport him into the circle. No matter how powerful he is, he won't be able to break free from the circle. Once he's inside, Kada, Choho and I will work on driving him out of his vessel," Ukitsu explained confidently.

"But we have to get in close to stick one of these talismans on him. And that's supposedly the _easy_ part," Karasu said.

"My comrades will join you to provide assistance," Ukitsu offered.

"We'll leave some of our guys here to guard you too," Iori responded.

"You mean to keep an eye on me."

"I don't trust you, Ukitsu. None of us do. Make no mistake. At the end of the day, we're still enemies."

"But for now we are allies."

" _For now_. You just do your part while we do ours."

* * *

Diaochan found Mitsuki leaning against the wall outside the Round Table room with his arms crossed. He looked like he was deep in thought.

"What do _you_ want?" Mitsuki asked.

"I came to give you this," Diaochan said as she offered Mitsuki the GenesisDriver.

"Don't bother. I got that covered."

"It still won't be enough."

"And this will?"

"Yes, because this will bring out your Energy Lockseed's full potential."

Mitsuki looked at Diaochan suspiciously.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because yours was destroyed. Consider this a peace offering."

"And how do I know there's nothing fishy about it?"

"You have every right to be suspicious, I understand. But we'll be working together so you'll just have to trust me."

"Trust is earned, not given away."

"True, but I thought I'd do something nice for you since I enjoyed our dance the last time we met."

Was Diaochan flirting with Mitsuki?

"You do realize that after this is over, we'll go back to being enemies," Mitsuki reminded.

Diaochan looked away uncomfortably.

"Yes, you're right."

"Why do you follow someone like Ukitsu anyway?"

"I owe him. He saved me a long time ago, so I owe my life to him."

"And are you happier this way?"

"Beats the way I used to live."

Mitsuki wondered what Diaochan meant by that, but she wouldn't elaborate. She really did not want to talk about her past.

* * *

Iori assembled the team and explained the plan to them. For such a dangerous mission, they needed a large team to subdue Bujin Gaim. After all, this was an Armored War Devil who single-handedly overpowered the Four Sovereigns.

"OK, so here's the plan. Ryuubi, Chouhi, Kanu, Idunn, Mars, Kamuro, Zangetsu, Baron, Gridon, Marika, Sigurd, Tyrant, Nii-san and I will go to Rakuyo and get the talisman on him. Once one of us manages to get a talisman on him, Ukitsu, Kada, and Choho will trap him in the circle. The rest will remain here as emergency backup in case anything goes wrong, and to make sure the exorcism goes smoothly.

"So, to sum it all up. Get a talisman on him, don't die, and then we'll drag him back here so our sorcerers can work their magic and banish that demonic bastard."

"That's easier said than done, though," muttered Hideyoshi.

"I believe in all of you. If we work together, I know we can do this," Iori reassured them.

"How are we supposed to find the damn bastard?" Saji asked.

"Since he's possessing Nagata's body, then he must have _this_ ," Iori answered as he flipped open his LockPhone.

"And how will that help?"

"We can track him with it."

"Then let's get ready," commanded Mitsuki. "Henshin!"

"Henshin!" the rest of the Riders chorused.

 _ **[SODA!]**_

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY ARMS! FIGHT, POWER! FIGHT, POWER! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FI-FI-FI-FIGHT!]**_

 _ **[CHERRY ENERGY ARMS!]**_

 _ **[PEACH ENERGY ARMS!]**_

 _ **[MELON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

 _ **[SUIKA ENERGY ARMS!]**_

 _ **[DRAGON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

 _ **[LIQUID! MATSUBOKKURI ENERGY ARMS! SEI, YOISHO, WASSHOI!]**_

 **[COME ON! GOLDEN ARMS! OGON NO KAJITSU!]**

 **[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS]**

 **[SOIYA! SILVER ARMS! HAKUGIN NEW STAGE!]**

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

Ryuubi, Kanu, and Chouhi also summoned their armor. They would need every advantage they had. Hopefully, by working together, their plan would succeed.

"Oda-san, make a door for us. I got a lock on him," Ryugen-Yomi instructed.

"Where is he?" Idunn asked.

"Rakuyo."

 **To Be Continued in Part 2...**


	18. Interlude III: BG's Daily Life

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Interlude III: BG's Daily Life**

People gathered in taverns to enjoy cheap, yet good wine.

The working man could sit with their buddies and down a few cups of wine to just relax after a hard day of work.

A lonely man would go in and drink all their troubles away.

A drunk would go in and spend all their hard earned money just to get their fix.

All were welcomed.

BG-Nagata walked into the tavern. As soon as he stepped inside, all eyes were immediately upon him, glaring at him with either suspicion or interest. Maybe even both. They were silently judging him. He ignored the gazes while scanning the tavern. It was obvious that he had come to the right place.

Bandits and mercenaries occupied the tavern. They came to relax and have a good time with their fellow outlaws. They would get rowdy too once they downed one too many cups of wine.

Usually, that would be a turnoff for the more law-abiding customers, but this tavern had its own special charm. It wasn't just the wine that the customers kept coming back for, but the pretty girls serving them. It was nice to have a pretty girl serve you with a smile.

And the girls served more than just smiles and wine.

The waitresses worked as prostitutes as well. They would take their paying clients up to the rooms on the second floor to service them.

Taking a seat at an empty table, BG-Nagata called over an attractive redhead in a two-piece outfit. It was a midriff-baring Chinese-styled top with a matching miniskirt. She also wore thigh-high stockings.

He ordered his drink.

The waitress returned with his order and placed the jug of wine and cup on the table.

"Thank you," BG-Nagata said appreciatively as he generously tipped the waitress. When she turned away, BG-Nagata smacked her cute butt, eliciting a cry of surprise from her. The waitress turned to look at him. Instead of being outraged, she winked and went to serve the other tables.

Oh, he knew he would have fun with her.

BG-Nagata filled his cup and took a sip. It wasn't the best thing he ever had, but he got what he paid for.

As soon as he took his first sip, he soon found his table crowded as three men joined him.

"Never seen you around before," Skinny said. "Are you new here, kid?"

"You could say that," BG-Nagata responded casually.

"Those are some really fancy clothes. You probably have a lot of money," said Fatso as greed shone in his eyes.

"That's very likely."

Shorty put his dagger against BG-Nagata's side.

"OK, then how about you get out and leave all your money behind? Then you can leave without a mark on that pretty face of yours."

BG-Nagata finished his drink and put the cup down.

"No."

BG-Nagata suddenly snatched the dagger out of Shorty's hand and then plunged the blade into his right eye. Shorty screamed in pain as he fell from the chair, rolling on the floor in agony as he put his hands on his injured eye.

Skinny and Fatso were stunned by the unexpected response but recovered quickly to draw their swords and level them at BG-Nagata. The rest of the patrons remained in their seats to watch the spectacle.

"That's it! You're going to die and we'll take everything you have!" Skinny yelled.

BG-Nagata casually filled his cup and took another sip. He then snapped his fingers. An invisible force twisted Skinny's neck and he collapsed with his eyes wide open.

Fatso's eyes widened in shock as he dropped his sword. BG-Nagata saw a wet spot appear between the fat man's legs and scoffed in disgust.

He snapped his fingers and Fatso's head exploded.

When Skinny's neck was twisted, everyone _froze_.

When Fatso's head exploded, everyone _panicked_.

Screams filled the tavern as the patrons and staff fled for the exit. BG-Nagata snapped his fingers and the doors slammed shut to prevent anyone from leaving.

BG-Nagata got off his seat and made his way towards the people. His smile widened into a bloodthirsty grin as he moved in for the kill.

It was a complete bloodbath as BG-Nagata slaughtered everyone.

Blood splattered all over the tavern and bodies were sprawled everywhere.

BG-Nagata had killed everyone inside.

And now he was finishing up with his waitress. The poor girl laid sprawled on the floor, naked, as BG-Nagata loomed over her. Once he was done with her, he pulled up his pants.

"That was _good_. Thank you for the _special service_ ," he said to the waitress.

The waitress sobbed as she curled up in a fetal position on the blood-stained floor.

BG-Nagata grabbed a jug of wine and exited the tavern. He emptied the entire jug of wine into his mouth and tossed it away. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he stained the corner of his mouth with blood.

BG-Nagata's eyes changed. His irises were no longer silver, but blood red, with the surrounding sclerae now as black as night. He casually snapped his fingers and a bolt of red lightning struck the tavern, setting it on fire.

" **Alright, what's next? What other fun things can I do?** " BG-Nagata mused as his true voice slipped from his lips.

* * *

Hunger was something that BG-Nagata experienced constantly. He was no stranger to it. He could even go far as to say that he was starving, and not just for food. There were just so many things to starve for and he wanted to satisfy every single hunger he had.

Right now, he was satiating his hunger for food.

BG-Nagata was sitting in a restaurant and gorging himself on food. He just shoveled all that food down his throat. This earned him quite a few stares. The rest of the patrons watched in disgusted fascination as BG-Nagata finished up another plate of food. After finishing his food, he washed it down with tea.

He had two full stacks of empty plates on either side of him, but he was still hungry.

"I want to make another order!" BG-Nagata called to a waitress. He studied her as she came to take his order. She was a pretty girl, petite and with an ample bosom. He licked his lips as he eyed her up and down.

He was hungry and wanted to fill himself with good food and more. He didn't care if it was expensive. He didn't have any plans of paying for it either.

Much later, BG-Nagata exited the restaurant with a bowl of tofu soup. He slurped the soup down before tossing the bowl on the ground, breaking it. He then wiped off some blood from the corner of his mouth with his napkin.

Everyone inside the restaurant was dead. There was blood everywhere. Bodies were sprawled on the floor, on the chairs and tables. A waitress was bent over a table, nude, with a vacant stare in her eyes as her head lay at an unnatural angle. She looked like she had been violated before her neck was snapped.

BG-Nagata had killed them all and didn't leave the place clean. Snapping his fingers, he zapped the restaurant with lightning and left it to burn.

* * *

BG-Nagata got himself dressed. He smiled as he looked over his shoulder at the three sleeping beauties who were all sprawled naked on the red sheets of the bed.

He had come to this brothel for some fun and had asked for three of the best girls.

He enjoyed himself greatly.

The girls serviced him quite excitedly, especially when he threw so much money around. They did everything between the sheets and he enjoyed his time with them to its fullest.

As enjoyable as it was, he couldn't waste time with further debauchery. He still had so much to do. As he finished getting dressed, he snapped his fingers and opened a portal to leave the brothel.

There was still much more fun to be had, so much more.

* * *

BG-Nagata visited a poor village. Even now there were places that suffered from poverty. Their crops would not grow and they were not receiving any help from the local lord.

He saw people starving.

He saw people suffering.

He saw an _opportunity_.

He reached into his sack and pulled out a Helheim Fruit. The effect was instantaneous as the fruit's hypnotic allure captured their senses. Hungry children crowded around him, drawn by the fruit.

"Here," BG-Nagata smiled kindly as he handed the children some fruit. "Make sure you share this fruit with your families. There's plenty for everyone."

BG-Nagata did not need to wait long.

Inves quickly infested the village and started attacking the people who hadn't even touched the fruit. Screams of terror filled the air as the poor villagers tried to get away from the Inves.

BG-Nagata shouldered his sack of fruit and snapped his fingers. A portal opened and he looked at the ruins where his throne stood.

As much as he liked his throne in Helheim, it just didn't feel right anymore. He needed to move elsewhere. He couldn't really claim China if he wasn't living in it. So, where could he go to find a palace and a throne?

And then he remembered that there was an empty throne right in the middle of Rakuyo, the former Imperial capital. Nobody was sitting on it, so there would be nobody to object if he took it for himself.

* * *

BG-Nagata approached the gates of Rakuyo. When the guards saw him coming, they smiled at him and bowed. BG-Nagata smiled and bowed back. The way people treated him with respect was something he couldn't get enough of. Truly, Nagata did get the very best even if he didn't deserve it.

"Gaim-sama, welcome to Rakuyo. What brings you over?"

"Just came to check how things were going," said BG-Nagata.

"Well, we're making progress and everyone is working as fast as they can to get this place restored."

"Good, that's good. And the palace?"

"Oh, work on the palace hasn't started. We weren't even informed that you were coming. If we knew, then the workers would've gotten started on the palace for you."

BG-Nagata smiled as he asked, "Could you both do me a favor?"

"What is it, Gaim-sama?"

BG-Nagata's eyes changed into their unnatural, demonic state.

" **Die** ," BG-Nagata said before he plunged his hand right into the poor guard's chest. He ripped out the guard's heart and crushed it. As the first guard's body fell, BG-Nagata turned to face the other guard whose eyes widened in fright.

The guard screamed and fled. He didn't make it very far as BG-Nagata summoned his Blood Drake Tail Sword and extended the blade. The blade pierced right through the man's back and exited out of his chest, with his heart hanging on the tip. BG-Nagata withdrew the blade and it returned to its normal length. The heart fell to the ground and BG-Nagata crushed it under his foot, just for the fun of it.

Facing the gate, he cut the doors to pieces and strode into Rakuyo. Already he could see the construction workers working very hard to restore Rakuyo.

Raising his hand into the air, he fired a large bolt of lightning which then separated into a multitude of smaller bolts that spread out and struck the ground. The workers instantly panicked and screamed in fright at the sudden electrical storm. They started to flee for the exits.

The guards immediately confronted BG-Nagata, leveling their spears at him. He may look like the _Seiryuoh_ , but he definitely wasn't. He was a demon wearing the _Seiryuoh's_ face.

" **Do you all seriously think that you stand a chance against me?** " BG-Nagata asked rhetorically as he exuded a chilling aura, causing the guards to falter and tremble in fear.

Not waiting for an answer, BG-Nagata swiftly spun and swung his Blood Drake Tail Sword, the blade was stretching into its whip form. He cut off their heads and blood gushed out of the neck stumps like geysers, showering him in blood.

BG-Nagata flicked the blood off his sword and made his way to the palace. There were no guards posted at the palace so he easily strode on inside and found the throne room.

He looked at the throne and grinned.

It was _perfect_.

* * *

 **KRC:** Just a short interlude between Part 1 and Part 2. As you can see, 'daily life' is used in the title ironically.

Usually, 'daily life' would have more wholesome connotations. I mean, when used as part of an anime's title, it usually means the anime is a slice of life series. It should be fun and watch to enjoy.

Well, Bujin Gaim seemed to enjoy himself.


	19. An Alliance of Gods and Devils Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

BG-Nagata made himself comfortable on the throne of the _former_ Imperial palace. Fortunately, the fire that ruined this place hadn't caused too much damage. The throne was still very much intact and worthy of him.

" **So, this is what it feels like to sit on the Imperial throne** ," BG-Nagata mused. " **I like it. Now, I really should think about redecorating the place.** "

He then sensed a presence. Several in fact. His eyes narrowed as he smiled.

He was expecting company, after all.

" **So, they've come to try and finish the job, huh?** "

He had guests coming. He should be ready to greet them.

It would be rude not to.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 13-2: An Alliance of Gods and Devils (Part 2)**

* * *

A Helheim portal opened up, allowing the Alliance of Gods and Devils to exit into the palace's courtyard.

"No guards," Baron said as he looked around. There was absolutely no security.

"Either he isn't here, or he's so arrogant that he doesn't believe he needs any security," said Marika.

"Oh, he's definitely here alright," Ryugen-Yomi confirmed as his LockPhone picked up the signal from Nagata's LockPhone.

"It just seems too easy," remarked Zangetsu-Shin.

"What are we waiting for!? An open invitation!? Let's go in and kill that bastard!" Sigurd snapped impatiently.

"Is he always this impatient?" Baron asked Marika.

"Ever since I met him. He's gotten worse since he got his speed," Marika answered.

* * *

While BG-Nagata awaited the arrival of his 'guests', he thought about how he was going to pursue his conquest. He could try and send more kaijin, but doing the same thing again just seemed so tedious and uncreative.

Should he do things quickly or gradually?

Did he have the patience to do things gradually?

Should he go with what works or just mix it up a little?

What would be the most enjoyable method?

And how many girls should he have in his harem?

For something so simple, it was so hard to decide on how to go about it.

Well, he had all the time in the world. It wasn't like he had anything to worry about. Nobody could stop him. Even those so-called Femme Fatales failed to do what he had accomplished. He had defeated the Four Sovereigns. Nobody else could claim that.

The doors to his new throne room burst open and the Alliance Warriors stepped inside. They were filled with determination. Kurokage-Shin, on the other hand, was filled with a very understandable amount of terror.

"It's Onii-chan," Chouhi said as she saw BG-Nagata sitting on the throne.

"No, it isn't," refuted Kanu. He may look like her beloved lord, but what they were looking at was a demonic being who had claimed his body.

At the sight of all the assembled armored warriors, BG-Nagata couldn't help but smile. It seemed that he had found a way to rid himself of his boredom, at least for a short time. Still, they decided to come to him instead of him having to go and hunt them down.

" **Well hello, everyone. I'm honestly surprised that you had the nerve to come here. I don't know if it's bravery or stupidity, but I'm actually impressed. You've either mustered up enough collective courage to come challenge me, or you all have a death wish. If it's the latter, then I'll happily oblige. Or, did you come for** _ **these**_ **?** "

BG-Nagata levitated the Sovereign Lockseeds and Ryujin Key for them to see. He felt like showing off his trophies.

"We're here to get back Nagata-sama!" Ryuubi yelled.

"If you know what's good for you, Bujin Gaim, you will release Nagata-sama's body at once!" Kanu demanded.

"And you will give him back," finished Idunn.

" **I see. Of course, you're here for Gaim. He must be** _ **so**_ **special.** **Well, if you want him back so badly, how about you try and take him from me?** " BG-Nagata challenged as he pushed down his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade.

The Blood Orange Lockseed opened.

" **Henshin.** "

 **[SEIFUKU ARMS! DAI AKUMA, SEKAI SEIFUKU!]**

The black tar engulfed BG-Nagata and morphed before its outer layer shattered to reveal Bujin Gaim in his dark Conquest Armor.

" **Who's first?** " Bujin Gaim dared. " **Come at me.** "

"Fire at will!" Baron ordered and all the Genesis Riders, except Kurokage-Shin, fired their Sonic Arrows. They launched their energy bolts rapidly, covering Bujin Gaim with them. The energy arrows exploded, concealing Bujin Gaim in a growing cloud of smoke and dust.

Idunn would've protested as they were putting Nagata's life at risk, but she knew Bujin Gaim needed to be subdued before they could trap him.

The smoke and dust settled, revealing Bujin Gaim, completely unharmed. He casually dusted off his shoulders and sleeves as he narrowed his demonic eyes.

" **My turn.** "

Bujin Gaim raised his finger and pointed to the ceiling. All of a sudden, hundreds of daggers appeared as they hung above his head. He threw his arm forward and hurled the daggers at the Alliance Warriors.

"Take cover!" Kurokage-Shin shouted. Sigurd zoomed to their defense as he used his super speed and Sonic Arrow to intercept and deflect the flying daggers, causing the constructs to shatter.

Bujin Gaim leaped off his throne to attack the Alliance Warriors head on. He summoned his Blood Drake Tail Sword and smashed the floor with it, caving it in as the Alliance Warriors scattered.

"Spread out and surround him!" Baron commanded.

Bujin Gaim roared as the red veins on his suit flashed angrily. His Blood Drake Tail Sword glowed as it extended into a whip-like form. He lashed out with the whip sword, striking his targets from afar.

Once he returned his weapon back to its original shape, Bujin Gaim charged towards the Armored War Gods, quickly choosing his target. Swinging his sword, Bujin Gaim aimed for Chulainn.

Chulainn parried the blow before he fired a shot directly in Bujin Gaim's chest. The shot had no effect, but it did piss Bujin Gaim off. With a swift kick to the crotch, Bujin Gaim sent Chulainn flying into the wall, incapacitating him.

"Why...is it always...my _dick_...?" Chulainn moaned as he slid down the wall.

Bujin Gaim was suddenly slammed in the side and sent flying. He landed on his feet and saw Sigurd coming back to hit him again. Sigurd sped towards Bujin Gaim for another strike, but he was caught by the throat and slammed him to the floor.

" **You're fast, but not fast enough.** "

He stomped Sigurd in the head, knocking him out. He then picked up the Sonic Arrow and appraised it in interest.

 _ **[MATSUBOKKURI ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

Bujin Gaim turned to see Kurokage-Shin diving towards him with his Kagematsu-Shin. Bujin Gaim caught the spear and looked Kurokage-Shin in the eye.

" **These belts are not really good for sneak attacks, are they?** " Bujin Gaim questioned rhetorically before he flung Kurokage-Shin into the farthest wall. " **They're too** _ **loud!**_ "

Energy arrows homed in on Bujin Gaim. With a flick of his wrist, he altered their trajectory, causing the energy arrows to hit the ceiling instead. He then used his Blood Drake Tail Sword's whip form to strike his assailants down.

" **You know, I've always wanted to try my hand at archery** ," Bujin Gaim commented as he held his stolen Sonic Arrow.

Black tar enveloped the Sonic Arrow and morphed, changing the weapon in his hand. Once Bujin Gaim was done altering the weapon, it resembled a pair of wicked bat wings with red veins on them. The drawing mechanism had also been replaced with a trigger mechanism instead. He also made the edges of the built-in blades serrated to inflict more damage.

Taking aim, Bujin Gaim picked his target. He chose Zangetsu-Shin and fired at him. A black and red bolt of energy shot towards the Armored War God of Son Go. Luckily, Zangetsu-Shin's reflexes kicked in and he ducked right under the bolt as it passed over his head. The bolt hit the wall behind him.

It didn't just leave a charred hole. The substance left behind by the bolt was literally eating through the wall like acid.

" **Oh, now I** _ **really**_ **love this weapon!** "

Bujin Gaim fired wildly with reckless abandon.

"Everyone, get to cover! Don't let those arrows hit you!" Zangetsu-Shin loudly warned as he ducked behind a pillar. The warriors scattered to avoid the shots and took cover behind the rest of the pillars.

" **You can run, but you can't hide!** "

The corrosive bolts of the **Toxic Arrow** made it a dangerous weapon. They needed to get it away from Bujin Gaim, post haste.

 _ **[DRAGON FRUIT ENERGY!]**_

 **[YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

A pair of dragons made of energy, one red and one violet, roared as they surged towards Bujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim was hit and his Toxic Arrow was destroyed. However, he remained unharmed by Tyrant and Ryugen-Yomi's combined attacks.

He wasn't pleased, not at all.

" **You** _ **broke**_ **my new toy.** "

Bujin Gaim roared as he struck Tyrant and Ryugen-Yomi with his Blood Drake Tail Sword's whip form, smashing them into the wall.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY!]**_

Baron fired an energy arrow that hit Bujin Gaim, trapping him in a lemon-shaped energy sphere.

 _ **[MELON ENERGY!]**_

Zangetsu-Shin fired at the ceiling and summoned a giant energy cantaloupe. It hung in the air above Bujin Gaim and exploded, raining energy arrows down on the demonic Dark Rider.

Once the dust and smoke cleared, Bujin Gaim was flat on his back.

"Guess that did it," Zangetsu-Shin said.

He had spoken too soon.

Bujin Gaim suddenly rose up like a vampire rising from its coffin. Taking his weapon, he threw the whip sword to snare Zangetsu-Shin by his neck. Bujin Gaim then swung Zangetsu-Shin into the wall before tossing him to the floor.

" **And you dare call yourself a** _ **devil**_ ," Bujin Gaim spat at Zangetsu-Shin. " **What a joke.** "

Spotting Marika, Bujin Gaim licked his lips as he wondered if he could make her scream. Bujin Gaim zoomed towards Marika, his sword raised to slice her in half.

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim's Blood Drake Tail Sword slammed into Baron's Sonic Arrow.

Marika's eyes widened in shock.

Baron had intercepted Bujin Gaim, saving her.

"You saved me," Marika said, surprised.

"We're allies right now. That means we have to look out for one another," Baron told her as he held Bujin Gaim at bay. He shoved Bujin Gaim back and sent him staggering.

" **So, even** _ **you**_ **came to save Gaim** ," Bujin Gaim said to Baron.

"I just came for some payback, that's all!" Baron shot back as he struck Bujin Gaim with a devastating blow to the chest. He started to hammer Bujin Gaim with his Sonic Arrow, forcing the Dark Rider back even further.

Bujin Gaim chortled.

" **It's so** _ **cute**_ **how you're trying to deny your true feelings. You're so worried about your** _ **friend**_ **that you teamed up with those** _ **losers**_ **so you could save him.** "

"The Armored War Devils are just a means to an end. We're just using them."

" **Really? Because it looks to me you can't defeat me without help.** **Guess you really are just a** _ **lapdog**_ **who can't do much on its own.** "

Baron roared as he furiously assaulted Bujin Gaim. He smashed his Sonic Arrow down on Bujin Gaim but was blocked by the Blood Drake Tail Sword.

"Oda, if you're in there, then fight!" shouted Baron.

Bujin Gaim sent Baron tumbling with his sword.

" **He can't hear you** ," Bujin Gaim sneered. " **He will never hear anyone** _ **ever**_ **again.** "

 _ **[BANANA CHARGE!]**_

Baron fired at the floor. A bunch of giant energy bananas burst out and impaled Bujin Gaim. He started to break free, but Baron was already switching Lockseeds.

 _ **[PUMPKIN CHARGE!]**_

Another shot to the ground summoned up chain scythes that wrapped tightly around Bujin Gaim, binding him in place.

Finally, Baron loaded one of his personal favorites.

 _ **[MANGO CHARGE!]**_

A Mango Punisher made of energy rocketed towards Bujin Gaim and exploded.

"He's not dead yet!" Marika warned.

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim burst out of the cloud of smoke and slammed Baron against the wall.

"Ugh!"

" **Nice try.** "

Baron gritted his teeth and kicked Bujin Gaim away. He swung his Sonic Arrow, striking Bujin Gaim in the chest with an impressive force. Sparks burst like a fountain on impact as Bujin Gaim staggered back.

Marika joined in as she leaped over Baron and nailed Bujin Gaim in the face with a dropkick. She bounced right off him and did a backflip before firing at him with her Sonic Arrow. He deflected the energy bolts, leaving him wide open for Baron who hit him in the face with a left hook.

Marika and Baron soon teamed up as they attacked Bujin Gaim, hitting Bujin Gaim repeatedly with their Sonic Arrows. Bujin Gaim parried the blow and retaliated with a punch. Baron caught the punch as Marika drove her knee into Bujin Gaim in the stomach.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

 _ **[PEACH ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

With their charged up Sonic Arrows, Baron and Marika struck Bujin Gaim simultaneously, sending him skidding back.

" **Oh, now this is more like it!** " Bujin Gaim praised as he initiated his finisher.

 **[SEIFUKU SQUASH!]**

"Get back!" Baron pushed Marika aside before activating his own finisher system.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

They charged up their weapons and swung. Their weapons crashed into each other and energy discharged violently all around them. Baron roared as he pushed against Bujin Gaim who stood his ground as the energy continued to discharge around them. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion and Baron was sent crashing into a wall.

Bujin Gaim stepped out of the smoke, unharmed.

" **Too bad you are not strong enough.** "

Marika ran over to Baron.

"Are you OK?"

Baron grunted.

"I've had worse."

Portals suddenly opened up around Bujin Gaim and Helheim vines shot out to bind him. Bujin Gaim spotted Idunn and Kamuro manipulating the vines.

Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers, causing the vines to loosen their grip. He then lashed Idunn and Kamuro with the vines, knocking them to the ground. Bujin Gaim threw a ball of red energy at the duo, but the attack was blocked by Mars when he used his shield to deflect it.

Suddenly, Kanu, Ryuubi, and Chouhi tackled into Bujin Gaim simultaneously, knocking him into a wall. He gritted his teeth as he was pinned and saw the three girls who had come on this fool's errand.

" **You three must have a death wish to come here** ," hissed Bujin Gaim.

"We came to save Nagata-sama, and we're not leaving without him!" Kanu declared.

"That's right!" Chouhi concurred. "So get out of my Onii-chan! Leave him alone!"

" **Make me** ," Bujin Gaim growled. The three girls surrounded Bujin Gaim and began taking swings at him with their weapons. Bujin Gaim defended himself expertly, parrying their blows before he slammed the three girls to the floor with his telekinesis.

"Get up," Marika coaxed Sigurd awake.

"Ugh, that bastard..." Sigurd groaned as he held his head. "How are we doing?"

Marika looked to see Bujin Gaim throwing everyone around with his telekinesis. They hit the walls and ceilings violently. Bujin Gaim cackled maniacally as he enjoyed himself.

"Not very well," Marika frowned. "Now come on. We have to get a talisman on him."

"He can see me coming, even with my speed," Sigurd argued.

"Then go faster," she prompted.

"Easier said than done. Wait, I got an idea."

" **COME ON! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!?** " Bujin Gaim challenged as he raised his Blood Drake Tail Sword. " **DON'T HOLD BACK! COME AT ME LIKE YOU WANT TO KILL ME!** "

Ryugen-Yomi dashed towards Bujin Gaim and hit him with the Yomiyari. Ryugen-Yomi dragged Bujin Gaim to the nearest wall and pinned him to it. Ryugen-Yomi pulled out a talisman, but Bujin Gaim moved a finger and tossed him aside.

Bujin Gaim picked up the talisman Ryugen-Yomi dropped.

He recognized the work instantly.

" **No wonder Ukitsu isn't here.** "

Bujin Gaim crumpled up the talisman.

Sigurd suddenly sped towards him and punched him rapidly. Bujin Gaim tossed him into the air with telekinesis.

Sigurd tumbled across the ground but he got what he needed.

"Baron! Gridon! Zangetsu! Catch!" Sigurd shouted as he threw the three Sovereign Lockseeds to Baron, Zangetsu-Shin, and Kurokage-Shin.

" **What!?** " Bujin Gaim realized that he had just lost the Sovereign Lockseeds. " **Dammit!** "

Baron, Zangetsu-Shin, and Kurokage-Shin quickly switched Drivers and activated the Sovereign Lockseeds.

 **[ZHUQIAO!]**

 **[XUANWU!]**

 **[BAIHU!]**

Bujin Gaim rushed towards them to stop them, but the others got in his way to slow him down. He sent them all flying and lunged towards the three Sovereign Riders.

 **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO ARMS! FLIGHT OF PHOENIX!]**

 **[COME ON! XUANWU ARMS!** **KUROTAMA NO TATE, GO ON!]**

 **[SOIYA! BAIHU ARMS!** **BYAKKO NO KIBA, TENSHIN!]**

Bujin Gaim was too late, though, as the three Armored War Gods transformed into their Sovereign Arms. Gridon quickly conjured up a giant hand made of water and caught Bujin Gaim with it. He slammed Bujin Gaim to the floor and then smashed him into the wall.

Zangetsu used his own power to create hands made of rock. They burst out of the wall to hold Bujin Gaim still. Baron followed up by hurling fireballs at the immobilized Bujin Gaim. The fireballs exploded as they hit the demonic Dark Rider.

Bujin Gaim roughly tumbled to the ground as he was thrown by the explosions. Getting back, he looked at the three Sovereigns, and couldn't help but chuckle.

" **So, you've decided to not hold back anymore. It's about damn time.** "

"If we have to kill you to force you out of Oda, then that is exactly what we'll do," Baron declared firmly.

" **And what happens if you kill him in the process?** "

"That won't happen," answered Zangetsu.

"I'm ready to heal him when he's injured," explained Gridon.

" _ **That**_ **almost sounds like a solid plan** ," Bujin Gaim remarked as he took out the Ryujin Key. " _ **Almost.**_ "

 **[RYUJIN!]**

Out of the portal, the Blue Dragon emerged. At first, it was about to snap at Bujin Gaim, but he cowed it with a gaze. Unable to resist, the Blue Dragon morphed into the Ryujin Raiment.

Bujin Gaim tore off his ruined cape and allowed the Ryujin Raiment to drape over him. Once it touched him, the Ryujin Raiment released a pulse of power.

The assembled warriors were stunned by this development. They were like a deer caught in the headlights, gawking and gaping speechlessly at Bujin Gaim.

" **It looks good on me, don't you think? Why so speechless? This is why you shouldn't stand around and watch while someone is transforming.** **You all wasted a perfectly** _ **good**_ **opportunity** ," Bujin Gaim commented.

"How are you able to use it!?" Zangetsu asked, not believing what he was seeing.

" **I got Gaim's soul.** "

Bujin Gaim raised his arm towards the ceiling. The air above them seemed to ripple as dozens upon dozens of familiar weapons emerged. Once the weapons answered his call, he snapped his fingers.

The weapons dropped like a rain of steel and the warriors scattered to avoid them. Quickly, Gridon summoned up a dome of dense water to surround everyone. The weapons continuously smashed onto the barrier, bouncing off as they collided.

Bujin Gaim found the barrier to be annoying. He wanted to splatter their blood and guts all over the place.

 **[SEIFUKU SQUASH!]**

Bujin Gaim focused his power into his Blood Drake Tail Sword, charging it up further. It glowed an angry red color as he twirled it around. Once his sword was fully charged, he threw a powerful crimson energy slash at the dome.

The slash took the shape of a ferocious dragon and it roared as it struck the dome, causing it to burst like a bubble. Water flooded the throne room before it flowed out the main entrance.

Once Bujin Gaim had unhindered access to his prey, he broke into a run and attacked the Riders. He struck them with his Blood Drake Tail Sword as he ran past them, knocking them down. He then turned to face them and shot lightning out of his hand. The lightning caught the Riders and he flung them into the ceiling before he sent them crashing back to the ground.

" **If you were all hoping for a quick, painless death, you're out of luck. I'm going to enjoy making you all** _ **suffer**_ ," Bujin Gaim vowed and he fired bolts of red lightning at the Riders. He kept the voltage low enough so he wouldn't kill them too quickly and listened to their agonized screams. It was like music to his ears.

 **[SEIFUKU AU LAIT!]**

Bujin Gaim lifted the Riders into the air as his Blood Drake Tail Sword changed into its whip form. The whip sword glowed red with black energy crackling along its length. He struck the Riders with his whip sword, slashing them and throwing them into the wall with all his might. They smashed against the wall with enough force to cave in the surface, leaving imprints of their bodies. Bujin Gaim watched them drop as they reverted to their civilian forms.

They survived, but they were too hurt to continue fighting.

However, not all of them were incapacitated. The Sovereign Riders were still clad in their suits of armor, recovering from Bujin Gaim's finisher.

Bujin Gaim focused his attention upon the recovering Sovereign Riders. Once he was sure they were ready for him, he zoomed towards them. Red and black lightning trailed from him as he sped towards his targets.

Zangetsu was the first to see Bujin Gaim coming. Sparks exploded, showering around them, as Zangetsu intercepted Bujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim retaliated by throwing Zangetsu down with a kick.

Gridon tackled right into Bujin Gaim, but the latter held him at bay with a single hand.

Baron blasted a stream of flames at Bujin Gaim. Quickly, Bujin Gaim used Gridon as a human shield. However, Zangetsu sped by and grabbed Gridon, snatching him from Bujin Gaim. Bujin Gaim was engulfed in flames as a result.

Bujin Gaim casually summoned a gust to blow away the flames. He followed up with a cocky 'come-and-get-me' gesture.

The Sovereign Riders took the bait and attacked.

The Sovereign Riders clashed furiously at Bujin Gaim, striking him ferociously with their weapons. The sounds of steel meeting steel echoed around them. All the while, Bujin Gaim stood his ground, keeping his guard up against the relentless onslaught.

The three Sovereign Riders attacked Bujin Gaim with their elemental powers next. This was what he was waiting for.

 **[SEIFUKU SPARKING!]**

Using the power he stole from Nagata, Bujin Gaim captured their combined elemental energy and merged it with his Blood Drake Tail Sword. The stolen energy took on the form of a massive blazing sword.

" **EAT THIS!** "

Bujin Gaim swung his sword. Fire, lightning, wind, earth, and water elemental energy crashed into the Sovereign Riders, sending the Sovereign Riders painfully sprawling to the floor. In a flash, their Celestial Armor vanished as they lay groaning in pain.

" **Even with all that power, you're still no match for me** ," Bujin Gaim gloated. " **I might as well just put you all out of your misery.** "

He was so focused on the Riders that he failed to remember something.

He forgot about the three sisters that had joined their party.

Kanu and Chouhi roared as they attacked Bujin Gaim, breaking his focus as they sent him skidding back with brutal strikes of their weapons. Kanu and Chouhi were brutal as they furiously hammered Bujin Gaim with blows. Sparks flew like a firework show as they clashed with fierce determination.

As Kanu and Chouhi viciously attacked Bujin Gaim, Ryuubi hung back to watch, waiting for her chance. Reaffirming her resolve, Ryuubi went to join them.

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"_

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"_

Kanu and Chouhi swung their weapons to subdue Bujin Gaim, but he countered with his Blood Drake Tail Sword. Their weapons slammed into each other. The impact caused the Viper Spear and Green Dragon Crescent Blade to fly out of Kanu and Chouhi's hands. Bujin Gaim then sent them flying with a swipe of his hand. In a flash of light, their suits of armor disappeared.

" **Is there no one worthy who can challenge me?** " demanded Bujin Gaim loudly.

"I can," answered Ryuubi as she clenched her Dragon Claw Sword.

Bujin Gaim chuckled.

" **Seriously?** _ **You?**_ **Ha, ha, ha. Please, don't make me laugh as I did just now.** "

"I will make you release Nagata-sama if it's the last thing I do!"

Bujin Gaim rolled his eyes and sent a bolt of red lightning towards Ryuubi. Swinging her sword, she deflected the bolt. Bujin Gaim widened as he saw this, and he also witnessed as the sword glowed in Ryuubi's hand.

"Hyaaaahhhh!" Ryuubi yelled as she charged at Bujin Gaim. He fired more red lightning bolts at her, but she deflected them. He then fired a massive blast of lightning at her, but she sliced right through it as she crossed the gap between them.

" **WHAT!?** "

"Take this!" Ryuubi screamed as she slashed Bujin Gaim across the chest. This left a huge gash in his chestplate, causing him to stagger back and scream. He eyed the sword in her hands, at how it glowed. He could sense the blade's energy.

It was holy energy, something that could harm him.

It needed to be taken away from Ryuubi.

As Ryuubi raised her sword for another strike, Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers. The Dragon Claw Sword was pulled out of her hands and thrown into a wall. The blade pierced the wall with half of it still sticking out. Bujin Gaim then clenched his fist like he was squeezing something. Ryuubi gasped and gagged as she fell to her knees and put her hands to her neck, trying to pry off whatever it was that was choking her. She felt like someone was trying to squeeze the life out of her. He began to tighten his grip and he watched as she suffered, struggling to breathe.

"Aneue!" Kanu shouted as she tackled into Bujin Gaim, breaking his concentration. He grasped her long ponytail in response. "Argh!"

" **Kanu Unchou, the one he loves the most. I wonder how he'll suffer when I tell him that you died at his hands** ," Bujin Gaim reflected as he held Kanu by her long ponytail. The thought of causing Nagata more pain filled Bujin Gaim with glee.

Bujin Gaim raised his Blood Drake Tail Sword to cut Kanu down.

But then he stopped. His sword-wielding arm was frozen. It was as if something, or _someone_ , was holding him back.

Bujin Gaim knew who was stopping him and let out a growl of frustration.

" _ **Gaim...!**_ "

"Nagata-sama?" Kanu wondered. She didn't have time to ponder any further. She quickly slapped the talisman on Bujin Gaim's chest.

" **What? This again?** "

Bujin Gaim released Kanu's hair to tear the talisman off, but he was too late. The talisman activated as the writing on it glowed. Bujin Gaim screamed as he was enveloped in the light before he vanished in a flash. The Ryujin Key fell to the floor once Bujin Gaim disappeared.

"Aisha!" Ryuubi hugged Kanu, relieved.

"Aneue, are you alright?" Kanu asked.

"I'm fine. My throat hurts, though," Ryuubi replied.

"Aisha-neechan, Touka-neechan, you're both OK!" Chouhi cheered as she hugged both her sisters.

"It's a miracle," Ryuubi said.

"It was Nagata-sama," Kanu claimed. "He saved me."

* * *

 **KRC:** OK, first of all, Nagata, while possessed by Bujin Gaim, is called BG-Nagata. This is a reference to 'Kamen Rider Den-O' as the protagonist, Ryotaro Nogami, would have the first letter of the Imagin's name in front of his (M-Ryotaro, U-Ryotaro, K-Ryotaro, and R-Ryotaro). So, 'BG-Nagata' is short for 'Bujin Gaim Nagata'.

Anyway, this chapter was interesting. It's actually the first time I did a hero/villain alliance. But hey, considering the threat they're facing, beggars can't be choosers. I mean it's Bujin Gaim after all. He's a threat to everyone. I could've added the Femme Fatales, but I didn't want to have too many characters to deal with and I wasn't sure how to write the interaction without it stretching too far and eating up pages. I mean, when you write, you need to write meaningful content. Not write a whole bunch of words and come up with nothing. Writing a lot does not equal to writing well.

 **TFP:** Well, it seems that Nagata's not as gone as Bujin Gaim liked to think. Even trapping his soul, the true Nagata shines through when his friends need him. It seems that the red menace hasn't won yet.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Shoku Castle, the others were waiting for results. Guarding the three sorcerers were Bravo, Kagemusha, Ryofu, and Knuckle.

"What do you think is happening?" asked Knuckle. He was anxious. Not being able to help during the mission was bad enough, but not knowing what was going on was even worse. He was hoping for a good outcome, but the anticipation was killing him.

"I cannot say, _mon ami_. We can only pray that they are successful," said Bravo.

"Half of them are probably dead by now," snarked Kagemusha.

"Bite your tongue!" snapped Bravo.

"Calm down, all of you," Ukitsu ordered.

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim appeared in the middle of the binding circle. He was momentarily disoriented and confused.

" **Huh!? Wait, what!? Where am I!?** " Bujin Gaim shouted as he whirled around in confusion when he spotted Kada, Choho, and Ukitsu. His rage soon took over. " **YOU SON OF A BITCH!** " He charged straight at them but ran face first into an invisible wall.

"NOW!" Ukitsu ordered and the three sorcerers touched the circle. It glowed brightly and Bujin Gaim screamed as his armor was stripped from him and turned to smoke. He was then stunned and knocked unconscious by the circle's energy.

"Amazing," Choho said, amazed.

"Incredible. I can't believe that worked," awed Kada.

"Of course it worked," Ukitsu said, looking smug.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #13A: THE (XXX) DUNGEON**

"Wait, we have a dungeon? Since when?" Nagata asked.

"Since forever. This castle used to be a fortress. Prisoners of war were locked right under this castle," Komei informed him.

"Man, I guess I should check it out. It must be filthy right now."

Nagata and Komei went to check the dungeon and found the door locked.

"Try the key," Komei suggested.

"OK."

Nagata unlocked the door and he opened it. The two of them went down the stairs and Nagata noticed something.

"Wait, does it smell like flowers in here to you?" Nagata asked, finding it odd.

"You're right, Nagata-sama," Komei agreed.

They went further down.

Well, they found a dungeon, only not the kind of dungeon either of them expected.

Iori was in the middle of the dungeon, his arms above his head and held by chains. He was shirtless and wearing only his pants.

But what really shocked them was the sight of Kochu. She was dressed in black panties, a corset, thigh high stockings, and was wearing high stiletto heel shoes. She also wore black elbow-length gloves and was wearing a mask.

Holding a lit candle, she dripped the wax all over her husband's bare chest.

"Oh, yes~!" Iori moaned.

Kochu grabbed him by the back of his head and ordered, "Call me 'Mistress'."

"Yes, Mistress!" cried Iori and they both shared a deep, passionate and rough kiss. Kochu picked up a whip and lashed Iori, causing him to cry out. "Yes, Mistress! Punish me!"

"You're dirty! A dirty boy!" She whipped his ass. "Dirty boys get punished."

"Yes, I'm a dirty boy! Make me your bitch, Mistress!"

"Yes, you're my bitch and the bitch does as his Mistress tells him!"

The two continued their S&M roleplay, unaware that they had an audience.

"We should go." Nagata hastily backed away as Komei stood frozen, transfixed by the sight. Nagata went back and grabbed her. "Come on!"

The two left just as Kochu was starting to bite on Iori's nipples.

"Let's never speak of this again," Nagata said to Komei.

Komei silently agreed.

Neither Komei nor Nagata could look Kochu and Iori in the eye for an entire week after that.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #13B: THE WHISTLE**

"What have you got there, Masataka-kun?" Sonken asked.

"It's a whistle Minmei gave me. She told me to blow on it if I ever need her," Masataka answered.

"Does it work?" Sonken asked.

Masataka blew the whistle and Shuutai appeared out of nowhere.

"You called, Zangetsu-sama?"

"Shuutai, you were following us again, weren't you?" Masataka asked.

"Well, it's my job, Zangetsu-sama."

Masataka patted her head.

"Good girl."

Shuutai purred happily at the praise.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #13C: TLC**

Nagata pressed his forehead against Ryuubi to feel her temperature.

"Yeah, you've got a fever alright and from what I can tell you've got a cold too," Nagata confirmed.

"This is the worst," Ryuubi complained.

"Tell me about it. It's fine if you want a day off, but it sucks if you're too sick to enjoy it. Here, I made you chicken soup."

"I wish I could smell it, but my nose is all clogged up," Ryuubi said sadly. "I bet it tastes wonderful."

"Oh, it does. Best thing to have when you have a cold. Now, open wide."

Ryuubi blushed.

"You'll be feeding me, Nagata-sama?"

"You need to rest so I'll be taking care of you. Now, open up and let me feed you."

Ryuubi eagerly allowed Nagata to feed her.

Karasu spied on them and planned to get sick so Nagata would look after her.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE 13D: KANU'S LUNCH**

"Nagata-sama, I made you lunch!" Kanu proclaimed.

"Thank you, Aisha."

 _'Aisha sure looks cute in that apron. But still...CAN THAT STILL BE CONSIDERED FRIED RICE!? How is the rice burnt on only one side!? And is that a chicken leg and fish head sticking out!? OK, I should let her down easy. Shouldn't be too hard.'_

Kanu smiled expectantly at him.

 _'Damn it! I can't say no to her! OK, just eat it fast! Maybe it's not as bad as it looks!'_

"Itadakimasu!"

 _'OH GOD! I WAS WRONG! IT'S WAY WORSE THAN IT LOOKS! OK, DON'T VOMIT! DON'T VOMIT! JUST SWALLOW! SWALLOW!'_

"How is it, Nagata-sama?"

"It's...it's so good...I'm speechless," Nagata lied.

 _'Mental Note: Get Shion to teach her how to cook!'_

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE 13E: DOODLING**

"Alright, let's tie him up," said Ukitsu. "What are you doing, Shishi-dono?"

Shishi was doodling on BG-Nagata's face with an ink brush. He drew swirls on the cheeks, a third eye on the forehead, and painted the eyelids black.

"Just having some fun," Shishi answered.

Ukitsu rolled his eyes.

"Give me that brush. I'll show you how it's done."


	20. The Exorcism of Bujin Gaim Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

BG-Nagata groaned once he regained consciousness.

" **Ugh...my head. What happened...?** "

He found himself bound to a chair. He had his wrists tied to the armrests, his ankles tied to the legs, and he was also tied to the backrest with rope wrapped tightly around his midsection.

" **What the hell...?** "

BG-Nagata looked down at the floor. Once he saw the pattern and sigils, he realized that he was in a magic circle designed to keep him trapped inside.

"No matter what you do, you're not getting out of there. I made sure of that," Ukitsu told BG-Nagata, looking quite pleased with himself.

" **Oh, you clever bastard. I knew I should've killed you when I had the chance** ," BG-Nagata snarled. He snapped his fingers to break the ropes, but nothing happened.

" **What?** "

He tried again, and again, and again.

Nothing.

" **WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?** "

"Your powers won't work in that circle," Ukitsu informed BG-Nagata. "You're _powerless_."

" **So, what's the plan? Keep me trapped here? You can't hold me here forever.** **You do realize that, don't you? Eventually, I'll figure out a way to break free.** **And then there will be** _ **nothing**_ **that'll keep you safe from** _ **me**_ **.** "

"We're going to exorcise you," Kada told BG-Nagata.

Now that made BG-Nagata cocked an eyebrow.

" **Oh,** _ **really**_ **? Well, by all means, take your best shot. But remember that if you fail, I'll come right after you, and I'll tear you apart before I devour your soul!** "

That was no idle threat. It was a promise.

"You won't be doing anything once I put this on you," Ukitsu said as he held up a new talisman.

" **And what's that supposed to do?** " BG-Nagata questioned.

"It will make you completely docile and easier to _control_ ," said Ukitsu.

"Easier to control?" Kada repeated. Eyes widening in realization, he quickly snatched the talisman out of Ukitsu's hand. "Ah-ha! So that's your plan!"

"What are you talking about, Kada?" Ukitsu demanded, not looking at all pleased.

"I knew we couldn't trust you! You were going to use a mind control spell so you could use Bujin Gaim as your own personal slave and attack dog!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ukitsu denied. "Now give that talisman to me."

"I'd do as he says," Kagemusha warned.

Bravo, Ryofu and Knuckle immediately raised their weapons to defend Kada as Kagemusha took a threatening step forward.

"Not one more move," Bravo threatened.

"Yeah, don't even think about it," added Knuckle as he pounded his fists together.

Ryofu glared at them silently.

This was the scene Iori, Ichiro and Karasu came upon.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 14-1: The Exorcism of Bujin Gaim (Part 1)**

* * *

The Shoku Warriors were all gathered in the living room. Only Karasu, Iori, Ryuubi, Chouhi and Kanu had yet to return. The girls tried to make themselves comfortable, but they were worried.

Bujin Gaim's capture was successful, but Nagata was still a prisoner in his body.

Bacho was pacing back-and-forth in worry.

"Stop pacing," Chou'un said to Bacho.

"I can't help it," Bacho replied. "I don't know how else to deal with this."

"Worrying yourself to death isn't helping."

"Better than doing nothing. I feel so useless right now."

"You're not the only one."

"Sui-neechan's just real worried about Nagata-sama right now," said Batai.

"We all are," Kochu amended. "I hope Airen isn't hurt."

"I just hope we can get rid of that creep so things can go back to normal," said Chou'un.

"Since when has anything been normal?" Batai asked. "Because I doubt we've experienced normal in a long time now."

"I just wish there was something we could do. Aisha, Rinrin, and Touka could go and help, but if we had gone we would've been killed," Bacho scowled. "I hate feeling useless."

"You're not useless, Sui," Kochu said, comforting the brunette. "None of you are. You've stayed by Nagata-sama's side through thick and thin. Just stay by his side now and pray for the best."

"I just wish this didn't have to happen," sighed Bacho.

A portal opened in the living room. Iori, Karasu, Ichiro, Kanu, Ryuubi and Chouhi all exited the portal to step into the living room.

"You're back!" Kochu hugged Iori. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Koi," Iori answered. "So, is he here? Did it work?"

"If you're talking about our 'guest', he's tied up in the Round Table room," Chou'un informed him.

"You three wait here with the others. Oda-san, Nii-san and I will head up to take a look," Iori instructed Ryuubi, Chouhi, and Kanu before he left with Karasu and his brother.

"So, what happened during the fight?" Bacho asked. She wasn't able to participate, so she wanted to know the details.

"And don't spare the details," Batai added.

"Well, it was scary," Ryuubi started. She told them how they fought Bujin Gaim, and how he easily overpowered them. He took everything they could throw at him. It was only until the very end when Kanu was about to be killed when they finally managed to subdue Bujin Gaim.

"It was Nagata-sama," concluded Kanu. "He was able to break free for a moment and save me."

Ryuubi took out the Ryujin Key and gazed at it, thinking of him.

"Nagata-sama..."

* * *

Karasu, Ichiro, and Iori came to the Round Table room. They found Ryofu, Bravo, Knuckle and Kagemusha staring each other down. Not only that, but Kada and Choho were glaring at Ukitsu who returned their glares coldly.

Karasu, Ichiro, and Iori also saw BG-Nagata tied to a chair to restrain him in the middle of the binding circle. When they looked at BG-Nagata, they couldn't help but agree that he honestly looked possessed. His skin was pale, and his eyes were demonic. The irises were blood red, and the surrounding sclerae were pitch-black like pools of tar.

" **Ah, look. More visitors** ," BG-Nagata grinned as he saw the three Riders.

Karasu scowled. Hearing that voice coming out of her beloved cousin's mouth was just wrong. Wrong and unnatural.

"OK, what's going on here?" Iori demanded as he saw the confrontation. It looked like a fight was about to break out.

"Ukitsu's trying to claim Bujin Gaim as his own personal weapon!" Kada accused.

"Excuse me?" Iori turned to glare at Ukitsu. "Is this true?"

Karasu also glared at Ukitsu coldly. Controlling Bujin Gaim meant controlling his host, Nagata.

That was unacceptable.

"I was merely attempting to keep Bujin Gaim docile and easily controlled during the exorcism process," explained Ukitsu.

"He's lying! This whole thing was a setup!" countered Kada. "He was going to use this talisman to put Bujin Gaim under his control!"

"Ukitsu, does that talisman put Bujin Gaim under your control?" Iori asked Ukitsu firmly.

"It will keep him under control," Ukitsu confessed.

"Yes, _your_ control. You couldn't resist, could you? When the chance to seize an unstoppable weapon on your side came, you'd do anything to claim it," Kada accused.

That made quite a lot of sense. Bujin Gaim was powerful, nearly unstoppable even. He had the power on par to all the Sovereigns combined and then some. The only problem was that Bujin Gaim did not serve anyone but himself. If Ukitsu wanted Bujin Gaim on his side, he would need to use mind control magic to do so.

Seeing as he couldn't fib his way out of this, Ukitsu decided to come clean.

"What else did you expect? This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Besides, we deserve some compensation too. We did help you bind him, as promised," Ukitsu justified.

"The deal was for you to _exorcise_ him. Nothing more," Karasu countered.

"Well that would just be a waste, wouldn't it?"

Kada tore up Ukitsu's talisman and scattered the pieces in the evil sorcerer's face. Ukitsu scowled as he was denied.

" **Yeah, mind control. Pfft! Like that would ever work. I could easily pretend to be under your control then kill you in your sleep before desecrating your bodies** ," BG-Nagata spoke up.

"Get out of our house," Iori commanded as he held his Yomotsuheguri Lockseed as a warning to Ukitsu and Kagemusha. " _Now_."

Ukitsu clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Fine then. Guess our alliance is over. Too bad, though. I was actually enjoying myself. Come along, Shishi-dono. It appears our presence is no longer needed."

"So we're just going to leave?" Kagemusha asked. He was actually looking forward to a fight. When he couldn't go to Rakuyo to face Bujin Gaim, he felt cheated. "Damn."

Ukitsu addressed Iori and the others, "Congratulations, he's _your_ problem now. But, before we go, I'll leave you with a simple message: **Look Up**."

"Look up?" Iori repeated quizzically.

" _Xai jian!_ "

With those parting words, Ukitsu and Kagemusha were gone as they vanished using a teleportation spell.

"Good riddance," spat Choho.

"What do you think he meant by 'look up'?" Knuckle wondered.

Nobody knew the answer to that question, but Karasu couldn't care less about Ukitsu's little message. She wanted her cousin back and she wanted it done immediately.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go exorcise him," Karasu ordered Kada.

"Perhaps some other brave soul can attempt that feat," Kada nervously declined.

"You mean you're too scared," Karasu translated with a roll of her eyes. "Fine, whatever. Let's just get this over with. Come on, Tokugawa-sempai."

Iori and Karasu entered the circle.

" **Hello, Ryugen. Fancy a chance to shoot me in the head again?** " BG-Nagata taunted.

Ignoring BG-Nagata, Iori asked, "Is he secure?"

"He's secure," Karasu confirmed as she checked the knots. The ropes were on tight.

"The circle drained him of his strength and power. He wouldn't be able to break out of those ropes even if he tried," said Kada.

" **You all wouldn't be so smug if I could get out of this circle** ," BG-Nagata growled. " **Because when I come get you, you better wish I make your deaths quick.** "

Choho trembled at the sight and would've hugged Bravo for comfort if his spiky armor didn't get in the way.

"Alright, you two may begin," Kada instructed.

Iori put his hands firmly on BG-Nagata's shoulders as Karasu went for the Blood Orange Lockseed. She gripped it and tried to pull it off. However, it was stuck in the Drive Bay. It just wouldn't budge. The button to unlock it wasn't working either.

"What's wrong?" Iori asked.

"It won't come off!" Karasu answered.

"Are you sure you're doing it right?"

"Yes, I am! This thing is stuck!"

"Let me try," Iori offered.

Iori attempted to remove the Lockseed too, but it just wouldn't unlock or come off.

" **This was your plan? To take my Lockseed? Sorry, but that isn't going to work** ," BG-Nagata said mockingly. " **I'm** _ **never**_ **letting go of this body.** "

"Shut up!" Karasu snapped.

" **You're wasting your time. You'll never see your precious Gaim-** _ **sama**_ **ever again. Just accept the fact that I'm here to stay.** "

"I said shut up!" Karasu punched BG-Nagata in the face.

" **Ow!** **You do realize that you just broke** _ **his**_ **nose, right?** "

Karasu stared at her trembling fist in horror. She had just struck her cousin's face. BG-Nagata could not escape the magic circle. But that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun while he's in captivity.

" **Does it bother you that I look like** _ **this**_ **?** " BG-Nagata asked.

"GET OUT OF HIM!" Karasu shrieked.

" **I've actually gotten used to this body. I already broke it in, like a new set of clothes. He's not as handsome as my former self, but he's attractive in his own way. It's why he has so many girls so willing to kneel in front of him to worship his cock.** "

"Don't let his words get to you. Just ignore him," Kada advised.

" **You know, my former self always dreamed of glory and riches. It was all he could think about. Oh, he also wanted power. I finally realized that fame and riches don't mean a thing in this world. It's power. Power to conquer, power to rule, and power to do** _ **anything**_ **you want.** "

"And what do you plan to do with all that power?" Iori questioned.

" **Whatever** _ **I**_ **want. Sure, I could conquer this land. Hell, why stop there? With my power, I could conquer the world. But then, after the conquest, what's left is there? Ruling a bunch of weak and fragile humans just seems so boring. So, I've decided I didn't want to work hard anymore. I wanted to play hard with you people. You're all just toys for me, and I love to play with my toys...until they** _ **break**_ **.** "

BG-Nagata's smile was cold and cruel, and totally out of place on Nagata's face. It was disturbing, to say the least, with how his eyes gleamed with inhuman glee.

Meanwhile, Hideyoshi was observing safely from outside the room. He had arrived a little later. Mitsuki, Masataka, and the other Armored War Gods had returned to their cities. Diaochan and Saji had also gone and vanished after the fight.

"I swear, if his head spins around 360 degrees, I'm out of here," Hideyoshi murmured.

"You know, I always thought you'd be used to weird and crazy by now," Kaku commented.

"This is a whole new level of weird and crazy, Ei. I'm used to undead monsters, but a demonic possession and an exorcism are just something else."

"Well, you get to leave and go back to Yue. I gotta stay."

Hideyoshi looked to Kaku and noted that she was serious.

"Why don't you come back with me? I'm sure Yue-hime would love to have you with us."

"I could, but Yue's all grown up. She doesn't need me looking out for her anymore. And she's yours now."

Hideyoshi smiled, appreciating the trust Kaku had in him.

"Thanks, Ei."

"Well, I know I don't have to worry about anything with you keeping those idiots in line. I still owe Gaim-sama anyway."

"And I owe him too," sighed Hideyoshi as he remembered that Nagata's intervention was what allowed them to save Totaku in the first place. "I should go in there and help."

Kaku patted his shoulder.

"Good luck."

Hideyoshi shrugged and smiled awkwardly before he entered the Round Table room. He tried not to make eye contact with BG-Nagata who grinned at him.

"Anything I can do to help?" Hideyoshi offered.

"What can _you_ do?" Karasu asked, crossing her arms skeptically.

"I can use water to purify and heal. I might be able to purge Bujin Gaim out of Nagata," Hideyoshi informed her.

"So, it's like a magical detox," Iori translated.

"You can really do that?" Karasu asked Hideyoshi hopefully.

"Worth a shot," Hideyoshi answered.

"Wait, won't water wash away the circle?" Karasu asked worriedly. They didn't want Bujin Gaim to break free.

"Don't worry. The ink used to draw the circle won't be washed away with just water," Kada explained.

 **[XUANWU!]**

"Let the purification begin," Hideyoshi said he loaded the Xuanwu Lockseed and locked it into his SengokuDriver.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

"Alright, time to purge this demon! Hen-!"

BG-Nagata opened his mouth and projectile vomited all over Hideyoshi. It didn't stop. It just kept coming, drenching Hideyoshi in a disgusting black bile. The poor young man was being painted by the black vomit as it hit him like a fire hose.

And then BG-Nagata stopped and grinned so he could admire his handiwork.

" **How did you like your shower?** "

Everyone was speechless.

Bravo broke the silence in a hushed tone, "...That is a _lot_ of vomit."

"Um...are you OK?" Karasu carefully asked Hideyoshi.

"...I need a bath," Hideyoshi said in an even, traumatized voice before it rose with increasing panic. "I need a bath! I need a bath right now!" Hideyoshi wiped off the black bile from his glasses and stiffly marched out of the room to look for a bathroom. "This is sick! Sick! I'm gonna be sick!"

BG-Nagata's grin simply grew from hearing the panicked yells of Hideyoshi.

"HIDEYOSHI, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!?" Kaku's shriek was heard from outside the room.

"SHOW ME WHERE THE BATHROOM IS!" Hideyoshi shouted back.

"He's not coming back, is he?" Karasu asked Iori.

"I'M GOING BACK HOME!"

Iori shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"So, what now?" Ichiro asked.

" **How about you all let me go and I promise to spare your pathetic lives just for today?** " BG-Nagata offered.

Ignoring their captive, Iori addressed his brother and the others.

"Nii-san, thank you, but you don't need to stick around anymore. We can handle things from here," Iori told his brother.

"Are you sure? Because this seems like something I should stick around for just in case," Ichiro argued. He was concerned for his baby brother, which was a touching sentiment.

"No, it's fine. You should head back and take care of your territory."

"OK, if you say so. But if there's any trouble, any at all, you call me."

"I will, Nii-san."

"Yeah, you guys make sure Nagata gets all better," Knuckle said.

" **I'll be better if you'll just let me go!** " BG-Nagata yelled.

"We need to go too," Bravo said. "Chiiho-chan has to go back to get some rest and she has rehearsals too."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you exorcise that demon from Gaim, but I think you'll be able to handle things without us," Choho apologized.

"That's a lot of faith you have in us," replied Iori.

"Why not? You've done the impossible before. I know you guys can do it this time too," encouraged Choho confidently.

"Well, _au revoir_ ," Bravo said before leaving with Choho.

" **Hey, Bravo! Enjoy fucking those bitches of yours! I know how to make them reach the high notes! Here's a hint: do them in the butt!** " BG-Nagata yelled after them.

As Ichiro, Knuckle, Choho, and Bravo left, Karasu asked Iori, "Is it a good idea to send them away?"

"There's nothing more they can do here, and they do have their own responsibilities," Iori said.

Silently agreeing with Iori, Karasu turned her attention to Kada.

"I hope _you_ have something that can help us, Kada," Karasu said to their resident physician/sorcerer. There was a bit of an edge in her words causing Kada to gulp.

"I'll come up with something, mark my words," Kada swore.

"You better."

" **Yeah, right! A second rate magician like you could never get rid of the greatness that is me!** " taunted BG-Nagata.

Kaku came to the room and saw the mess that was on the floor. She also knew who was going to have to clean it all up.

"I hate you all," Kaku deadpanned, glaring at them.

It was her.

* * *

The next morning, Ryofu was still standing guard in front of the Round Table room. She would normally be stoic and standing at attention, even after standing guard for hours. This time, however, she looked exhausted.

When asked why she answered in one simple sentence:

"He would not stop singing."

"He was _singing_?" Iori asked.

"He was probably singing all the Kamen Rider themes," Karasu assumed. "Naga-kun loves them so much that he has them pretty much memorized."

"That's an interesting bit of trivia," Iori commented.

"He's a Super Rider Fan," stated Karasu. "Ryofu, you can go and grab some food, and get some rest."

"Thank you, Idunn-sama."

Ryofu left, dragging herself to the kitchen to get something to eat.

"OK, let's check up on him."

Iori and Karasu opened the door and entered the Round Table room. They found BG-Nagata still tied up. He was silently glaring at them.

"Good morning," Karasu greeted with faux pleasantness. "How have you been you piece of shit?"

" **I would be better if I wasn't tied up. So, what are we going to be doing today? Are you going to attempt to exorcise me while I laugh as you fail miserably?** " BG-Nagata inquired.

"Keep acting smug like that," Iori dared. "Sooner or later, we will figure out a way to get rid of you for good."

" **Oh, I can't wait.** "

Karasu turned to the door and saw the Shoku Warriors about to enter.

"Hold on," Karasu barred them. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We wanted to come see Nagata-sama, and see if there was anything we could do to help," Ryuubi said.

"I don't think any of you want to see this right now," said Iori as he obstructed their views.

"So the demon is not yet purged from him," Kanu assumed.

" **HEY, LADIES! HOW ABOUT AN ORGY? IT'LL BE FUN~!** " BG-Nagata yelled.

Komei and Hoto blushed when BG-Nagata mentioned orgy.

"That's pretty obvious," Chou'un observed. While an orgy sounded fun, she didn't want to participate without Nagata. She especially didn't want to participate if it meant being touched by that demon.

"Mommy, what's an orgy?" Riri asked curiously.

"You'll know when you're older," said Kochu. "Airen, could you take Riri to school?"

"Sure," answered Iori. "Come on, Riri."

Iori took Riri's hand and walked her out the door.

"Hey, what's an orgy?" Chouhi asked.

"You don't need to know," Kanu said quickly.

"Nagata-sama's stronger than this, right? Why isn't he fighting back?" Bacho asked. "Aisha said he stopped that freak from killing her."

"Bujin Gaim probably locked Naga-kun away to stop him from interfering," said Karasu.

" **HEY, DON'T TALK ABOUT ME LIKE I'M NOT IN THE ROOM! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!** "

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Komei asked.

"Kada's working on a way to get rid of Bujin Gaim right now," said Karasu. "Komei, you and Hoto should go and help him."

"And what should the rest of us do?" Ryuubi asked.

"Kada said to ignore him, and I agree. He'll just get in your head somehow."

" **Hey,** _ **Sui** **!**_ " BG-Nagata called. " **How's your daddy? Oh, wait! Daddy died! He died as a drunk! He died as a stupid drunk and fell off his horse! Hahahahahahaha!** "

Bacho, enraged, was about to storm into the room when Karasu stopped her.

" _Ignore_ him," Karasu ordered. "Don't listen to a word he says and don't let him get in your heads. He'll do anything to try and get out of that circle. It shows he's desperate."

Bacho growled and stormed off with Batai following her.

* * *

Bacho was in her room with Batai. The older brunette was upset after the things BG-Nagata said about her father. She had gotten over what happened to him, but to be reminded of how he died still stung.

"That bastard! How dare he!?" Bacho yelled as she punched the wall.

"Sui-neechan, you can't let his words get to you," Batai advised.

"How can I not when he's telling the truth!?"

Batai couldn't provide a response. She was just as affected as her cousin. Bato was like a second father to her and she was devastated when he died.

When Bacho believed Sousou was responsible for her father's death, she wanted revenge. She denied that his death was an accident caused when he fell off his horse while drunk, but she learned to accept it and moved on. But to hear that demon insult her father's memory like that opened old wounds.

If Bujin Gaim wasn't possessing Nagata, Bacho was sure she would've driven her Silver Flash through his black heart.

The door opened and Chouhi entered, looking worried.

"Sui, are you OK?" Chouhi asked her best friend.

Bacho wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm...I'm OK," Bacho answered.

"No, you're not," Chouhi refuted as she hugged her friend.

"Rinrin, it's OK. You don't have to do this. I'll be OK," Bacho insisted, but she did nothing to push Chouhi away.

"That was not Nagata-niichan. Nagata-niichan would never say those things," Chouhi said firmly. "Nagata-niichan would never hurt us."

"I know, but it still hurts," Bacho replied. "I want Nagata-sama back."

She loved him and she couldn't bear to lose someone she loved, not again.

"We'll get him back," Chouhi promised. "And I know that Nagata-niichan's still fighting. You should remember that too, so don't give up on him."

Chouhi had faith that everything was going to turn out alright. They have before.

* * *

Kanu tried to keep her mind off the fact that Nagata was possessed. She tried to concentrate on her training by sparring with Chou'un. However, she found that she couldn't focus, not while she was worried about Nagata.

Chou'un picked up on this and decided it was time they stopped to talk.

"OK, that's it," Chou'un concluded as she relaxed her stance.

"We're not done yet." Kanu urged for them to continue.

"Your heart's not in it. You're too worried about Nagata-sama to even focus on training."

Kanu couldn't deny Chou'un's words.

"You're right, I am worried. I fear we may lose Nagata-sama forever."

Kanu began to shed tears and Chou'un went to embrace her sister-in-arms. When Kanu first started her crusade against injustice, she never allowed herself to shed any tears. She resolved herself to be a warrior. However, meeting Nagata helped her to open her heart. She found a good man and fell in love.

They nearly did lose him before, when Braco poisoned him, but he came back. But this was different. Now Nagata's soul was in danger and it was trapped by a demon.

She couldn't bear the thought of losing him. It just hurt so much.

And now she could lose him forever.

"Look, you're not the only one who's worried. But remember that Nagata-sama's been through plenty with us. We just need to have hope and pull through this, together," Chou'un comforted Kanu.

Kanu remained quiet and closed her eyes. She wanted to believe that Nagata would be alright, but faith was often challenged, and even when she hoped for the best, she learned to expect the worst.

* * *

BG-Nagata remained alone in the room for hours. There were guards at the door with strict instructions not to let anyone in or out. Of course, that didn't stop anyone from trying to visit. As a superior officer, Kanu could order the guards to allow her in.

" **Oh, it's** _ **you.**_ **Did you miss me?** "

Kanu stood before BG-Nagata, remaining outside of the binding circle. Her face displayed no emotion. She could not afford to show this demon any weakness.

"Nagata-sama, are you in there?" Kanu asked.

" **Sorry, he can't talk to you right now, so you just have to settle for me** ," BG-Nagata answered.

"Why are you doing this?"

" **Doing what? I've done a lot of things. You gotta be more specific.** "

"Why are you possessing Nagata-sama? Why not just kill him? What's the point?"

A sly smile slowly encroached its way onto BG-Nagata's lips.

" **Because there are far worse things than death. I want him to suffer. It's as simple as that.** "

"So, this is all about revenge." Kanu glowered at him. "You want revenge for what happened to you before."

" **This is about more than just simple revenge, Kanu Unchou. Wait, I should call you by your true name. Right,** _ **Aisha**_ **?** "

Kanu's eyes narrowed as she retorted, "You have no right to call me by my true name."

" **Too bad, because I know your true name. I know all your true names. It's one of the benefits of possessing Gaim. Anyway, like I said, this is about more than just revenge. It's about me getting what I want, everything that I deserve. Everything that is owed to me, I will get no matter what.** "

"The world doesn't owe you anything."

" **Let's agree to disagree.** **I learned quite a bit about your past,** _ **Aisha**_ **. My former self resembled your late brother. Was that why you were so attracted to him? Did you have forbidden feelings for your** _ **dead**_ **brother?** "

"Silence!" Kanu yelled. "Do not speak of my brother that way! He sacrificed himself to save me!"

" **Yes, he died so you could live. Doesn't it just eat you up inside? You couldn't get over it, so you decided to train yourself so you could hunt down and punish bandits. Tell me, did you ever find the bandits that killed your family?** "

Kanu didn't answer.

" **From your silence, I guess not. Looks like your family will never be avenged.** **Too bad. So you just gave up and settled into the life of being Gaim's servant.** "

"Nagata-sama is a great and noble master. I am honored to serve him."

" **My former self offered everything to you. He would've done anything for** _ **you.**_ "

"Choosing Nise over Nagata-sama would be dishonorable. And all Nise could offer me was just a lie."

" **A lie, huh? That's ironic.** "

"What do you mean?"

" **How sure are you that Gaim hasn't been lying to you? I mean, he claims to be the Messenger of Heaven, but are you sure he's been honest with you?** "

"Nagata-sama would never lie to me."

" **Well, try asking him where he came from. Where he** _ **really**_ **came from. The revelation is sure to shatter your faith in him.** "

"You're trying to deceive me, to cause me to doubt Nagata-sama."

" **Oh, because I'm a** _ **demon**_ **that automatically means all I can do is lie? Demons can tell the truth too, we don't lie all the time. Right now, I'm offering you the truth. I got access to his memories, so I can answer any question you have. Or...are you** _ **afraid**_ **to find out the truth?** "

Kanu bit her lower lip. She was no doubt curious about his origins, but the answers BG-Nagata could give her could just be lies to make her break her faith in him. After all, Nagata had done so much for them, had given up so much, so why would he ever lie?

But what if there was something Nagata was keeping from them? Didn't she deserve to know? Didn't any of them?

Kanu set her resolve and said, "Nothing you have to say interests me."

" **You know, whenever I close my eyes, I can see all the times when he fucks you. I see how he turned you into his personal whore as you service him all night. How the mighty have fallen. You used to be quite the mighty warrior. What happened to you,** _ **Aisha**_ **? Were you so desperate for a lord you could pledge yourself that you just spread your legs for him?** "

Hearing those words come out of Nagata's mouth caused Kanu's heart to ache. She knew it wasn't Nagata saying those words, but the demon in him.

" **Your family would be so proud of you if they knew that you spread your legs each night for your master as his personal fuck toy.** "

"You're wrong! It's not like that at all! I love Nagata-sama, and he loves me!"

" **So you love him so much that you so willingly share him with others? And you say he loves you when he fucks another girl? Are you delusional? I almost feel sorry for you. But don't you worry. I know I can make you feel good. Go ask the girls I bedded.** "

That struck a nerve.

"Excuse me?" Kanu demanded.

" **Oh, I was bored, so I decided to visit a brothel. I had fun with three girls. I forgot their names, but they were very** _ **experienced**_ **and** _ **talented.**_ **They showed me a good time, and I showed them a** _ **really**_ **good time in return.** "

"You're lying!"

" **Am I? You have no idea what I've done while in this body. How can you say I'm lying? And honestly, why would I need to lie at all? So, what do you say? How about you untie me and I show you that I'm a hundred times the lover Gaim could ever be?** "

Kanu had heard enough.

As Kanu was about to leave, she retorted, "As much as what you say might be true, I _know_ Nagata-sama. _**You**_ take wanton glee in the evils you commit without a care for whom or what you destroy. He, on the other hand, does not at all derive any enjoyment from what people like you have pushed him to do, the lengths that he has gone, the lines that he has and will have to cross, and that is all the difference there is. You're nothing but a _monster_ , through and through. Remember, the reason you are trapped is because Nagata-sama is still in there, and he hasn't stopped fighting."

Bujin Gaim glowered at her.

"Nagata-sama, I know you are still in there. We will do everything in our power to save you. Until then, you'll need to hold on. You'll need to fight him. I believe in you. We all believe in you. So please, stay strong and never stop fighting. You hear me? Don't stop fighting and never surrender."

 **"You're wasting your breath. He's _gone_."**

Kanu responded with an insufferable smirk.

"We'll see."

Meanwhile, Karasu observed the entire exchange from outside the room. While she would've enjoyed the sight of Kanu breaking down, she really couldn't because of what was happening to her cousin.

She was really worried about what was happening to him. With Ukitsu gone, they could only rely on Kada to figure out a way to exorcise Bujin Gaim from Nagata's body.

"I should see if they've found anything," decided Karasu as she went to check on the progress of the doctor and the two strategists.

 **To Be Continued in Part 2...**


	21. The Exorcism of Bujin Gaim Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

Karasu found Komei, Hoto, and Kada doing research in the library. The physician had brought along every book he had on the paranormal, supernatural and mystic arts, sharing them with the two petite strategists.

The three of them were hard at work as they went through the books to find a way to get rid of Bujin Gaim and save Nagata. None of them noticed Karasu's presence until she spoke.

"Hard at work, I see."

"Idunn-sama!" Komei and Hoto swiftly stood up and bowed to the Armored War Goddess. Kada did the same.

"So, what have you three got for me?" Karasu asked, hoping for some good news.

"Idunn-sama, we've so far managed to identify the type of demon," Komei answered. By identifying the kind of demon Bujin Gaim was, they could uncover his weaknesses and finally exorcise him.

Hoto added, "He's a _mogwai_. It's a type of vengeful spirit that turns demonic because of the hate and rage it felt upon its original death. Its only goal is to avenge its death and claim the life of the ones who wronged it in life."

"That fits Bujin Gaim's description," Karasu agreed. Nagata had wronged Nise and now Bujin Gaim had returned for payback. "So, how do we get rid of a _mogwai_?"

"A _mogwai_ can only be appeased by the death of its targets," Komei said. That was something they wanted to avoid at all cost.

"Have you found _anything_ that can help us get rid of Bujin Gaim?"

"We're still looking, I'm sorry," apologized Hoto.

Karasu resisted the urge to snap in anger. Trying to control her emotions in this crisis was becoming a struggle for her, but she needed to maintain her composure.

She wouldn't be of any help to Nagata if she lost her temper.

"We've been trying to look for anything that isn't fatal and won't harm Nagata-sama," added Komei. The last thing any of them wanted was to cause any lasting harm to Nagata, physical or mental.

"Kada-sensei, anything you may want to add?" Karasu asked.

"I've never encountered something like this before. I've dealt with diseases with no problem, but this is a situation even I am not experienced enough to deal with," Kada answered with a regretful shake of his head.

"Well, don't give up. I know you'll figure something out," Karasu encouraged, raising their confidence. "Inform me once you've found anything useful."

"We will," said Komei. "Let's just hope something works or we're stuck with a demon living under our roof." She let out a yawn. She barely had enough sleep since she was terrified of Bujin Gaim being so nearby.

She actually had a nightmare about the demon coming into her room and doing _unspeakable_ things to her.

That was horrible.

She much preferred Nagata being the one to do unspeakable things to her, not that she would ever let anyone know _that_.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 14-2: The Exorcism of Bujin Gaim (Part 2)**

* * *

Iori decided to pay BG-Nagata a visit.

When the demon possessing his friend saw him, BG-Nagata was elated. His lips spread into a face-splitting grin that looked unnatural on the face he was wearing.

Nagata would _never_ smile like that.

" **Oh, it's the man who murdered my former self! Demon Dragon Ryugen, right? How are you? Where are your wife and cute little stepdaughter?** "

At the mention of Kochu and Riri, Iori clenched his fists.

BG-Nagata took notice of this.

" **I see. I guess you're still sour about what happened, huh?** "

"You kidnapped my little girl and blackmailed us," Iori growled.

" **Get over it. It was a long time ago, and that's not who I am anymore. And I meant that quite** _ **literally**_ **. In fact, I'm a new man and it's all thanks to you!** "

Iori faltered for a second.

" _What?_ "

" **I really have to thank you! You helped me become what I am today and now I can have everything I want! None of it would have been possible if it weren't for you!** "

"This was not my intent!" Iori snapped.

" **Oh, don't be ashamed! Even if you made me by accident, you're still responsible! That's something to be proud of!** "

"I did not create you!"

" **Oh, no? Because that last bit of humiliation pushed** _ **him**_ **over the edge, and I was born. You may not have made me directly, but you were part of the chain of events that led to my creation.** "

Iori glowered at BG-Nagata with an annoyed look as if he had been holding in his anger, preventing it from erupting. He reminded himself why he came to see the demon in the first place.

He came to get some answers.

" **So, why have you paid me a visit? Come to admire the result of your handiwork?** "

"Your former self, Nise, he worked alongside the Armored War Devils and the RinJyuKen."

" **Of course.** "

"Since you won't be going anywhere anytime soon, you might as well tell me what I want to know."

" **And that is?** "

"Strategic information. I want the location of the RinJyuKen Akugata and the Armored War Devils' headquarters."

BG-Nagata cocked an eyebrow.

" **Really, you'd really think I'd know something like that?** "

"Of course you'd know. You used to be Nise."

BG-Nagata gave a dismissive scoff.

" **Sorry to burst your bubble, Ryugen, but my former self was pretty low on the totem pole. He was just a glorified errand boy and anything he knew was only on a need to know basis. So, if he didn't know, I wouldn't know either.** "

"How could Nise not know the location of their headquarters?"

" **Because he was never given a map or directions. Just talismans to take him back and forth.** "

"You're lying."

" **Maybe I am, but what are you going to do about it? You're definitely not going to torture me, not if it means hurting your** _ **precious**_ **Gaim-sama.** "

Iori considered BG-Nagata's words. He hated to admit it, but the demon was right. They couldn't torture him since that would mean harming Nagata. Also, if what the demon claimed was true, then Nise was metaphorically blindfolded each time he returned to base. He just used a talisman to take him there, without learning the direction or their exact location.

Realizing that this was a waste of time as he wouldn't get anything useful, Iori turned to leave.

" **Oh, please don't go. Stay. I don't get a lot of visitors.** "

"And you won't be getting any."

" **Really? Well, Kanu Unchou visited earlier, but she really didn't like what I had to say.** "

"What did you say to her?"

" **Oh, that's between me and her. If you want to know, you gotta ask her.** "

"What I want is for you to go to Hell."

Iori meant that literally.

" **Well, that's not happening anytime soon, I'm afraid. I've gotten very comfortable in this body. And the things I've learned are amazing! Especially about** _ **you**_ **! You and Gaim came from the same world!** "

"So? It's not like that's anything new."

" **Yeah, but you confided in him, didn't you? Oh, poor little Ryugen, unloved and neglected by his own family.** "

"Shut up."

" **Mommy and daddy didn't love you, so you tried to win their love any way possible. Still, no matter what you did or how hard you tried, they didn't even seem to care. All your life you've been chasing a dream, and that's why you're here.** **I don't know whose dream is more pathetic. Yours or Gaim's? I mean, he always wanted to be a hero, so he abandoned his family to become one. You wanted a family that loved you unconditionally and gave up everything to do that. I mean, you were rich, you had everything, and you just gave it all up for a MILF and her brat.** "

"I said shut up!"

Iori was so tempted to put a bullet between BG-Nagata's eyes, but the demon had possessed his friend and he would end up killing him too. He needed to restrain his anger.

" **I know** _ **that**_ **look. You want to kill me, but you can't because you'll be killing your friend too.** " BG-Nagata tilted his head. " **Must be** _ **frustrating**_ **.** "

Iori's glare intensified.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

" **I'm tied up and bored. I need to entertain myself somehow. So, how about we talk about something else?** "

"Not interested."

Iori headed for the exit.

" **What would you do if you knew there was a traitor among you?** " Iori stopped at the door and turned to regard BG-Nagata who grinned at him. " **Interested in what I have to say** _ **now**_ **?** "

"Are you implying we have a traitor in our midst?"

" **Maybe~! Maybe not~!** "

"There _can't_ be a traitor in our group."

" **Because you're all such** _ **good friends**_ **, right? Aren't you the smart one? Don't you think a good traitor would know how to hide among you before they strike? That's how they operate.** "

"Nagata would never allow a traitor to roam free."

" **Right, because he's such a** _ **good**_ **judge of character. He trusted my former self for months. He didn't even suspect a thing until it was too late. Are you really going to trust** _ **his**_ **judgment when you could risk losing everything?** "

Iori considered BG-Nagata's words and scowled. BG-Nagata might be lying about a traitor, but he did have a point. Could he trust Nagata's judgment if it meant risking Kochu and Riri's lives?

Iori starved for unconditional love, and finally found a family that loved him. He didn't want to lose them, not ever, and if there was even the slightest chance there was a traitor that could endanger his happiness, then he would do anything to stop them.

" **You know, if there's one thing I can appreciate about you is your** _ **ruthlessness**_ **. Unlike Gaim, you're not soft or naive. You do what you have to and don't let anything stop you, as long as you believe it's the right thing to do. If it means you can protect the ones you love, you're willing to shoulder the consequences and continue to be ruthless for their sake. I sure hope you know just what to do when the time comes.** "

Without another word, Iori exited the room. BG-Nagata didn't need any confirmation.

He knew his words had affected Iori.

As Iori walked away from BG-Nagata, he ran into Karasu in the hallway.

"Good, I found you," said Karasu. "So, I went to see what Kada-sensei and our little strategists were doing and they have found out about our 'guest'."

"What did they find out?" Iori inquired.

"Apparently, Bujin Gaim's something called a _mogwai_ ," Karasu said.

Iori blinked.

"A _mogwai_? You mean those cute furry things from the 'Gremlins' movies?"

"No, not those _mogwai_. A _mogwai_ is a vengeful demonic spirit. It can only be appeased by killing those that wronged it in life."

Nagata always got in Nise's way and Nise hated him for it. That hatred only grew and festered. It even survived Nise's death and created this _mogwai_ Bujin Gaim.

Iori had killed Nise, but it was Nagata who had ruined his life, or so he believed.

That was why Bujin Gaim didn't hate Iori and felt gratitude instead. His original death allowed him to gain the power he needed to get his revenge on Nagata.

The thought made Iori feel sick with guilt.

"Have they found anything that could help Nagata?" Iori asked.

"They're still doing research. Right now, all we can do is wait," Karasu answered.

"If only we could get that Lockseed off him. Then we won't have to deal with _this_."

"When has anything ever been easy for us?"

"Never, if memory serves."

* * *

The guards remained at their post in front of the Round Table room with strict instructions not to let anyone in.

Batai came up to them.

"Hey, the guards are all being called for an emergency drill. That means you guys gotta go," said Batai.

"But, Lieutenant Batai, we can't leave our post."

"Don't worry. I'll cover for you."

The two guards shared a look. There was some hesitation, but they had no reason to doubt their superior and left.

"OK, the guards are gone," Batai called Chouhi over as she came out from around the corner. "Are you sure about this?"

"I need to see if Onii-chan's OK. He must be hungry. He missed breakfast and lunch," Chouhi said.

"Just be quick about it. It's my ass on the line here. Those guards are gonna be upset that I lied to them and they'll tell Sui-neechan."

"Thank you, Tanpopo."

Chouhi entered the room with a plate of rice balls and walked into the binding circle. It didn't prevent anyone from getting inside. It just made sure BG-Nagata could not leave.

Chouhi looked at BG-Nagata who was all tied up to the chair in the middle of the magic circle. I was such a pitiful sight.

"Nagata-niichan, are you hungry? I made you rice balls."

Nagata let out a groan in response.

"Rinrin..."

"Onii-chan...?"

"Rinrin...it hurts so much..."

Chouhi gasped.

"You're hurt? Onii-chan, what do I have to do? How can I help?"

"Please, untie your Onii-chan."

Chouhi was about to do that when she was grabbed by the arm and hauled back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Karasu demanded furiously. She was with Ryofu. They had come to check up on BG-Nagata when they found the guards missing. Batai was unable to call out to Chouhi when Karasu silenced her with a glare.

It was a good thing Karasu and Ryofu arrived when they did or Chouhi would've made a terrible mistake.

"Onii-chan's hurt!" Chouhi cried.

"That's _not_ Naga-kun," Karasu told her.

'Nagata' opened his eyes to reveal that they were still red-on-black.

It was the demon known as Bujin Gaim.

" **And I was** _ **so**_ **close if it weren't for your meddling** ," BG-Nagata spoke with a true voice slipping from his lips which were curled in a sadistic grin.

"Onii-chan?" Tears began to well up in the girl's eyes.

"He was trying to trick you," Karasu stated. "Ryofu, take Chouhi back to her room and don't forget to send Batai to her cousin."

"Come on," Ryofu coaxed Chouhi out of the room as she started to cry. She also took Batai away.

"I have got to get some less gullible guards," muttered Karasu.

" **You know, I'm really enjoying the hospitality here. You really know how to treat your guests.** "

"You were going to have her untie you, and then you were going to hold her hostage so we would let you go," Karasu accused.

" **What can I say? Innocent little children are so easy to fool.** "

"If you just released Naga-kun, you wouldn't be trapped like this."

" **Oh, and how long do you think this circle will hold me? You can't keep me here forever, you know.** "

"As long as you still possess Naga-kun, this is where you'll stay."

" **It must kill you to see him suffer like this, especially when you know there's nothing you can do to save him. His body and soul belong to me. You might as well just put him out of his misery. It'll be easy.** "

Karasu gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to slap him, knowing she would be hurting her cousin instead. Any injury they inflicted on BG-Nagata would only leave a mark on Nagata's body. As such, while they had Bujin Gaim trapped, he was still holding Nagata hostage.

And BG-Nagata was right. It was killing her to see her beloved cousin suffer this way.

" **Seeing as you're still here, I can guess they don't know yet.** "

"And you won't tell them."

" **What's stopping me? Don't worry, I won't tell. It'll be more fun to watch it all blow up in your face. Sooner or later the truth will come out and they'll know what you** _ **really**_ **are.** "

"I will _gag_ you."

" **Ooh, kinky!** "

* * *

It was after sunset and Ryofu was standing guard in front of the Round Table room. She had strict instructions to not let anyone inside. BG-Nagata had been quiet since evening, which was a good thing.

To prevent BG-Nagata from making any more noise, they had him gagged. That brought relief to everyone, especially Ryofu as she wouldn't have to suffer through his horrible singing while guarding him.

Ryofu recalled her beloved's performance during the Harvest Festival. He sang wonderfully. Unfortunately for her, Bujin Gaim did not manage to acquire Nagata's singing voice during the possession. If he did, she wouldn't have to endure the hours of torture to her poor ears.

Ryofu wasn't alone. She had Sekito for company. Her pets were her only companions until she met Nagata.

Ryofu never used to dream about her future. She always thought she would be nothing but an outcast. Since meeting him, she had dreams of a future with him. She dreamt of a house built near a forest, as she loved being close to nature. She dreamt of living with her pets in that house. There would be a garden where various vegetables and herbs grew.

And she also dreamt of a child in her arms, a child with dark skin, red hair...and _silver_ eyes.

It was a nice dream, a dream that was within reach when Nagata returned her feelings. It was only a matter of time until it became a reality.

She just had to keep hoping.

The voices of two people approaching woke her up from her daydream.

"Touka-sama, are you sure about this?" Gien asked as she accompanied Ryuubi. As the rosette's bodyguard, Gien was always ready to defend her and was carrying her kanabo, the Blunt Shattered Bone.

"I need to see him, Enya," Ryuubi insisted.

"But Idunn-sama told us not to. She says it's dangerous."

"It'll only be for a few minutes. What could go wrong?"

"This is a _demon_ , Touka-sama. It's _not_ Gaim-sama."

"Please, Enya. I just need to see him."

When Ryofu saw Ryuubi and Gien approach, she immediately barred their way.

"You can't go in there," Ryofu informed Ryuubi. "Idunn-sama's orders."

"I'm just going to check up on him," said Ryuubi. "I won't be long."

Ryofu looked hesitant.

"Please, I love him, Ren. You understand, right?" Ryuubi pleaded.

"But orders..."

"Please, Ren. Just let me see him for a few minutes and I promise I won't bother you again."

Ryofu relented.

"Alright."

Ryuubi smiled.

"Thank you, Ren."

"I'm going in with her," added Gien as she entered with Ryuubi.

"Don't take too long," Ryofu advised.

Ryuubi and Gien entered the room and saw BG-Nagata still tied to the chair in the middle of the binding circle. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was asleep.

Ryuubi hated seeing him like this. He looked like some kind of prisoner. But this was necessary so he wouldn't hurt himself or others.

She looked down at the magic circle. BG-Nagata couldn't break free as long as he was contained within its boundaries.

"Touka-sama, now that you've seen him, we can go, right?" said Gien.

Ryuubi stepped into the circle and quietly walked towards Nagata.

"Touka-sama!" Gien yelled but she remained on the edge of the circle to watch.

Ryuubi caressed his face and whispered, "Nagata-sama, if you're still in there, we're doing everything we can to save you."

He did not respond and her eyes widened in alarm when he felt cold. She checked for his pulse and his breath.

There was no pulse!

He wasn't breathing!

Ryuubi panicked.

"Nagata-sama!"

"Touka-sama, what's wrong!?" Gien cried as she went into the circle too.

Ryofu swiftly entered the room.

"What's happening?" Ryofu asked.

"There's something wrong with Nagata-sama! He's not breathing!" Ryuubi frantically undid his bindings. "Come on! Help me untie him! He needs a doctor!"

Sekito started to bark furiously and Ryofu knew something was wrong.

Suddenly, Nagata's eyes snapped wide open and he grabbed Ryuubi by the throat. Ryuubi found herself looking into the demonic red-on-black eyes.

Ryuubi was looking into BG-Nagata's demonic eyes.

"No..."

He ripped off his gag and tossed it away.

" **Do you realize how hard it was for me to play dead for that long? I was getting bored.** "

"Release Touka-sama, you demon!" Gien shouted.

The two bodyguards were ready to force BG-Nagata to release Ryuubi when he tightened his hold on Ryuubi's throat.

" **Take one step closer and I'll** _ **snap**_ **her neck!** " BG-Nagata warned, stopping them in their tracks. He was not bluffing.

Gien clenched her teeth and trembled as she gripped her weapon. She couldn't afford to do anything that could put Ryuubi in harm's way.

Ryuubi took hold of his fingers to pry them off her neck, but his grip was firm. BG-Nagata released her neck and gripped her hair. He appraised her and licked his lips.

" **Killing you now would be such a waste** ," BG-Nagata said before he tore open her blouse, causing her to scream. He started to fondle her breasts with his free hand.

"You bastard!" Gien shouted and was about to rush in when Ryofu held her back. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"He'll kill her," Ryofu warned.

"But we can't just stand and watch!" Gien shouted back as she desperately tried to get past Ryofu. "Touka-sama!" She watched helplessly as BG-Nagata roughly molested Ryuubi.

"Please, don't do this," Ryuubi begged.

" **Keep begging. I like it when they beg** ," BG-Nagata smiled and licked her cheek. " **You taste** _ **good.**_ "

Sekito barked loudly and leaped into the circle. He bit down on BG-Nagata's arm, to try and force him to release Ryuubi.

" **Argh! Stupid mutt!** "

Annoyed, BG-Nagata threw the dog into the wall to silence him.

"No!" Ryuubi yelled.

Sekito whimpered on the floor in pain.

"Sekito!" Ryofu cried.

BG-Nagata returned his attention to Ryuubi.

"Stop this, please," Ryuubi pleaded.

" **Oh, you know just what to say.** "

BG-Nagata was enjoying himself. He threw her onto the floor and pinned her down by her wrists.

"Stop this, please."

" **Ooh, baby. Keep talking like that.** "

"I was not speaking to _you_ ," Ryuubi said as she glared at him defiantly.

" **Pardon?** " BG-Nagata cocked an eyebrow.

"Nagata-sama, if you're still in there, then I know you can hear me."

" **He can't hear you! He's gone, don't you get it!?** "

"Nagata-sama, if you can hear me, you need to stop him! You can't let him win!"

BG-Nagata slapped her.

" **SHUT UP!** "

Ryuubi ignored BG-Nagata and continued.

"Nagata-sama, I know you're still in there! You saved Aisha! If you can hear me, fight back! Fight back!"

" **SILENCE!** "

"Nagata-sama, I know you're stronger than this! You're stronger than _him_! You can beat him! Fight!"

BG-Nagata covered her mouth to silence her.

" **I was going to be nice and gentle, but it looks like you want it** _ **rough**_ **!** " BG-Nagata reached down to tear off her panties when he suddenly froze.

' _LET HER GO!'_

" **ARGH!** " BG-Nagata screamed as he released Ryuubi and held his head. The loud shout in his head was giving him a splitting headache. " **What!?** _**Gaim!?**_ "

"Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi whispered.

' _I SAID LET HER GO! NOW!'_

BG-Nagata froze as he loomed over Ryuubi. He stared blankly at her and wasn't moving.

"Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked. When he didn't respond to her question, she decided to push him off her. She met no resistance as he rolled off her and he landed on his back. He continued to stare blankly, now at the ceiling.

Ryuubi looked down at the Blood Orange Lockseed. She quickly went for it and grabbed hold of the dreadful object. She fiddled with it until she finally managed to unlock it.

 **[LOCK OFF!]**

The Blood Orange Lockseed came right off the SengokuDriver. Standing up, Ryuubi took a moment to glare coldly at the object.

It was the source of Bujin Gaim's power. If she destroyed it, then he would no longer exist.

She dropped the Lockseed on the floor and drew her holy Dragon Claw Sword. She raised the sword above her head, with its tip pointed down.

"Embrace the darkness and rest in peace," Ryuubi quoted Nagata.

With determination, the sword glowed with holy light. She let out a battle cry and brought her blade down on the unholy Lockseed. It didn't break immediately, but it did crack from the initial strike. She struck the Lockseed repeatedly until it finally shattered to pieces.

" _ **AAAAAAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh...!**_ "

A shrill scream of agony escaped from the Lockseed pieces until it went dead silent.

Ryuubi huffed and suddenly gasped as Nagata suddenly stood up. He lurched forward and he vomited black sludge which came spewing out of his mouth like water from a geyser. Ryuubi covered her mouth as Gien and Ryofu just watched.

Nagata continued to spew the black substance which formed a huge puddle on the floor. When he was done, Nagata collapsed to his hands and knees as he coughed, wiping the excess from his lips.

"Nagata-sama!" Ryuubi cried out, hoping it was him. Nagata looked up at her and their eyes met.

Staring back at her were pure silver eyes, the eyes of the man she had fallen in love with.

"Touka..." Nagata whispered as he took her hand and she helped him up. He coughed out some more of the black goo when he saw the shattered remains of the Blood Orange Lockseed lying on the floor.

"Nagata-sama, is it really you?" Ryuubi asked hopefully.

"It's me."

Nagata gave her a smile, his genuine smile. He leaned in to give her a kiss but she stopped him with a finger against his lips.

"Touka?"

"You may want to wash out your mouth first."

"Oh, right. The black stuff."

Ryuubi put her arms around him in a loving embrace.

"Let's just settle with this for now."

He returned the hug.

"Thank you, Touka. You saved me."

"Nagata-sama, thank the gods, you're back." Ryuubi softly whispered as they embraced.

"Touka, this is real, right? It's not a dream, right?" he asked.

"It's _real_. This is all _real_." Ryuubi cried tears of joy. "You're back. You're finally back."

Nagata looked at Ryuubi and saw that the front of her blouse was torn open, causing him to frown deeply. His frown deepened when he saw the nasty bruise on her cheek. He gently caressed her face. She hissed as his fingers brushed against the bruise.

"Touka, I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. It was not your fault."

"No, it's not alright. I was almost too late and he could've really hurt you."

"Nagata-sama, it's _alright_. You saved me in the nick of time."

"But..."

"No buts, Nagata-sama. Just be glad that it's all over."

"Yeah, it's finally over..."

Gien immediately approached the couple with Ryofu.

"Touka-sama! Are you alright?"

"Enya, I'm fine," Ryuubi insisted, smiling reassuringly.

Gien got down on her hands and knees and bowed deeply. She felt ashamed.

"Forgive me, Touka-sama! I couldn't protect you!" Gien was ashamed. She couldn't look Ryuubi in the eye because she failed in her duty.

"Gien, please get up," Nagata said and Gien looked up at Nagata. "It's not your fault."

Gien looked up at Ryuubi who gave her a reassuring smile, and she smiled back after much hesitation.

The Round Table room was suddenly crowded when everyone barged in.

"We heard a noise! What's going on!?" Kanu yelled.

"And why isn't _he_ tied up?" Karasu demanded as she pointed at Nagata.

"It's alright, Kara-chan," Nagata said calmly.

"Naga-kun?" Karasu blinked. She saw his silver eyes. Was this a trick or was he truly no longer possessed?

"Nagata, is that really _you_?" Iori asked.

"It's me," Nagata reassured them. "It's _really_ me. I'm no longer possessed. He's _gone_." He just felt so relieved.

"Then step out of the circle," Iori commanded. "If you're not possessed, it will let you out."

Nagata stepped forward and at the very edge of the circle where an invisible wall would stop him, he passed right through.

It let him through, confirming that Bujin Gaim was gone and Nagata Oda was no longer possessed.

Nagata saw Ryofu carrying Sekito and asked, "Is Sekito going to be okay?"

Ryofu gently rubbed Sekito's head as she answered, "He'll be fine. He was very brave."

Nagata smiled at the brave little dog and gently scratched under his chin. Sekito responded by licking his fingers.

"Good boy. You're such a brave boy. A good and brave boy."

It was a tender moment and nothing could ruin it.

Suddenly, Kada barged into the room and yelled, "I did it! I finally did it! Now we can exorcise the _mogwai_!" He saw Nagata standing outside the circle. "Argh! The demon's out!"

"Kada-sensei, relax," said Nagata. "It's me."

"Begone, Demon!" Kada slapped the talisman onto Nagata's face. "Now, everyone! Quickly chant with me! _Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!_ Come on, everyone! While the demon is stunned!"

Nagata peeled the talisman off his face.

"Kada-sensei, it's _me_. I'm not possessed anymore."

"Are you really?" Kada asked as he fanned out two sets of talismans, ready to combat dark forces.

"Yes, it's _really_ me. He's gone."

"But how?" Kada questioned.

"It was Touka. She saved me," Nagata explained.

"So, you're saying that I did all that work for nothing!?" Kada cried in dismay. "Do you realize how many hours it took me to come up with these talismans and the spell to banish that evil spirit!? Now it's all for nothing!"

"Look, the next time we have another _mogwai_ problem, we'll come to you," Iori promised. "OK?"

"Fine, at least my efforts won't go to waste. Anyway, congratulations of not being possessed anymore, Nagata-sama."

"Thank you," Nagata replied. He asked Iori, " _Mogwai_? Like those cute little fuzzy things from 'Gremlins'?"

"Demonic vengeful spirit," Iori clarified.

"Ah, I see," Nagata replied as he nodded in comprehension. "Hey, Kada. Do you mind looking at my nose? It kinda hurts."

Karasu averted her gaze in shame.

Kaku saw the mess that Nagata left behind and glared balefully at everyone present.

"Seriously, can't you people ever keep this place clean for more than a day?"

* * *

Nagata received a checkup from Kada. The doctor insisted on checking his Ki to make sure that Bujin Gaim's possessing had left no ill effects on Nagata's body.

Kada was just being thorough. He also made sure to help fix Nagata's nose. Karasu had broken it in a fit of rage caused by Bujin Gaim. She apologized for it, though, and Nagata forgave her. He understood that it had been a stressful situation for her.

"Your Ki is _clean_ ," Kada confirmed before handing Nagata a cup. "Drink this."

"Thank you," Nagata said as he accepted the cup and downed the herbal remedy. He gagged once he finished. "What was _that_?"

"Herbal tea mixed with ashes from one of my talismans."

"Yeah, I thought I could taste the ash."

"And your nose will be alright," Kada added.

"It hurts when I sneeze, though," Nagata responded.

"So, what are you going to do with the pieces of Bujin Gaim's Lockseed?" Kada asked.

"I'm going to put them in a hole, light them on fire, and watch them _burn_."

* * *

Nagata took the pieces of Bujin Gaim's Lockseed to the cemetery and dug a hole in the ground. He then dropped the pieces into the hole. He sprinkled oil all over the pieces. Finally, he took his flint and steel and used them to start a fire. The pieces lit right up.

He wasn't alone, though. Kanu was with him. She didn't feel it was safe for him to be out on his own at night.

"Aisha, when I was possessed, I know I said horrible things and I'm sorry."

"It was not you saying those things, Nagata-sama."

"But, still-"

"You have nothing to feel sorry for."

Yes, he did. Nagata remembered every terrible deed Bujin Gaim committed while he was in his body. He would have to live with those memories along with the guilt and shame for the rest of his life.

Once the fire died down, Nagata covered the hole in the dirt, burying the Lockseed and the memory of Bujin Gaim forever.

* * *

Nagata later returned to his room. He needed to reevaluate a few things. The things Bujin Gaim said still stuck to his mind, creating doubt. The things Bujin Gaim had done while possessing him would always haunt him. Bujin Gaim may be gone, but he would always leave a lasting impression on Nagata.

"Did I make the right choice?" Nagata wondered.

Had he made the right choice of coming back to this world?

It was dangerous. Since coming back, he had almost died and he also got himself possessed.

Back when Ukitsu sent him and the others to their own world, he was reunited with his family. However, it just didn't feel right, and he knew why.

It just didn't seem fair that he should be safe when everyone in this world was in danger.

It also didn't feel right without Kanu and the others by his side. His life just felt empty without them.

He never once thought he would ever fall in love in this world. He just wanted to find a way home, at least at first. Instead, he found a new home here in the era of the Three Kingdoms.

' _Home is where the heart is'_ , and his heart belonged here in Shoku.

It was in this place where he could be something more than just a mere cook or student. He was someone important here. He was a king and a hero. It just wouldn't be right for him to leave his kingdom to fend for itself.

Still, he had to wonder, if he had made the right choice.

The door opened and Ryuubi let herself in.

"Nagata-sama, how are you feeling?"

He turned and smile warmly at her.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm OK. Don't worry."

"Then, would it be alright, if I joined you in bed tonight?"

"Sure."

"Oh, I'll go ask if Aisha and Rinrin would like to join us too."

"Sure, the more the merrier. Let's make it a slumber party. But first..." Nagata kissed her deeply and passionately. After breaking the kiss, he asked, smiling slyly, "How about we use it first, _privately_? I haven't exactly _thanked_ you properly for saving me."

Ryuubi blushed, catching his meaning, and nodded. They both climbed onto the bed and into each other's arms. Their lips connected again as they slowly abandoned their clothing.

He didn't need to wonder if he had made the right choice anymore. He had grown up and changed so much in this world. He was a completely different person than he was since his accidental arrival.

He would take responsibility for his own choices, right or wrong, and live with them. He would accept the consequences of his own decisions.

Right or wrong, he had made his decision, and he was going to see things through until the end.

* * *

 **KRC:** And so concludes the Revived BG Arc, and I have to say it was pretty emotional for me to write, not to mention intense. Well, Bujin Gaim and Nise's essence is gone, but is he really gone for good? I mean, he may get a sequel appearance like in every horror films. We can only hope since I had fun with this depiction of him. Hope it fixes any damage when I attempted to make an ironic twist and gave Nise the armor. May not be my best decision, but on the bright side if it led to this then I guess there were some hidden benefits, even if they only came true now.

It was pretty frightening for me since I tried to make Bujin Gaim as inhuman as possible and well I think I succeeded the best I could. If you say I didn't, you are welcome to argue. I can handle negative reviews and constructive criticism. Just no flames.

I think I had fun with Bujin Gaim being all twisted and just generally evil in a hardcore kind of way. The things he said and did to mess with everyone's heads were like those Exorcist movies. Even when he tried to hurt Ryuubi...OK, I don't think rape is OK. Maybe it's fine in entertainment since it doesn't really hurt anyone, but you gotta use things like death, rape, and murder in a way that can add more drama and suspense to the story. Not for a cheap thrill. No. no cheap thrill. Besides, did you guys think I was going to let that A-hole actually do it? If anything it was a Death Flag that got triggered.

And if you expected Nagata to be the one who banished Bujin Gaim, I'm sad to say this wasn't the case. I decided to let Ryuubi have the honor as the hero of the hour again just like last time in the Ryujin Arc. Her sword worked the last time, so it would work to shatter Bujin Gaim's Lockseed as well.

So, what do you guys think? Was he evil enough for you? Was he twisted and sadistic enough for you? Did he get under your skin? Did he leave a lasting positive/negative impression on you? Do you want him to make a return someday? Please, give your answers in the review.

Hey, Buster, Paladin, what do you guys think? Think I did the trick with Bujin Gaim to make him more memorable?

Please read, review, favorite and follow! And no fire trolls too! Hope you're happy with the new and improved Bujin Gaim I made to your liking as a hardcore villain for this arc.

 **BL92:** Yes! Finally, that guy is gone for good. That guy is giving me the goosebumps and scared the crud out of me. And I know I said this before, but I really hate that rotten fruit guy.

 **TFP:** He's gone! He's finally gone! This confrontation was drawn out quite longer than I expected. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Reader's opinion I guess. Anyway, Nise is gone for good and so is Bujin Gaim. Now things can go back to normal, or whatever passes for normal for the Armored War Gods. I just hope he stays dead for good, assuming that he won't be back from the dead again.

* * *

That night, while everyone slept, Nagata, Chouhi, Ryuubi, and Kanu were sleeping cozily in his bed. They all agreed to it since none of them wanted to sleep alone after what they had been through.

As they slumbered soundly, none of them were aware of the danger they were in.

Jam stood menacingly by their bedside. They were completely unaware of her presence as she loomed over them with cold fury and murderous intent.

Jam raised her sword as she glared coldly at them.

It would be over quickly.

However, she lowered her weapon as she changed her mind.

" _ **Not yet...**_ "

She had plenty of chances in the future and decided to spare them, for now.

Gazing softly at Nagata, Jam caressed his hair and face.

" _ **Soon...you will be all mine...**_ "

She silently dissolved into a swarm of insects and snuck out the room.

Meanwhile, a stray dog was sniffing around the graveyard. It stopped directly on the spot where the charred pieces of Bujin Gaim's Lockseed were buried. The dog started to dig up the spot.

Something black and viscous emerged from the spot. The black substance shot straight at the dog and forced its way down the poor canine's throat.

The dog panicked and flailed around, spasming before it gradually relaxed.

As it opened its eyes, they glowed red.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14A: NUTCRACKER**

BG-Nagata had Ryuubi pinned down.

" **Now, Ryuubi. Allow me to show you what a real man can do.** "

Ryuubi looked down and saw that her knee was lined up. She locked eyes with BG-Nagata's.

"I'm sorry."

" **What are you apologizing for-FUCK?!** "

Ryuubi had driven her knee straight into his groin.

BG-Nagata rolled off Ryuubi and put his hands on his injured groin, whimpering in pain. Ryuubi got up and left the circle.

"Sorry, Nagata-sama."

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14B: SEKITO THE WONDER DOG**

"Please, don't do this," Ryuubi begged.

" **Keep begging. I like it when they beg** ," BG-Nagata smiled and licked her cheek. " **You taste** _ **good.**_ "

Sekito barked loudly and leaped into the circle.

He bit BG-Nagata right in the crotch.

" **AAAARRRGGGGGHHHHH!** " BG-Nagata screamed as he released Ryuubi. " **GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!** " Sekito had a really good grip on his balls. " **AAAARRRRGGGGGHHH! THIS IS THE WORST PAIN EVER! NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO THIS KIND OF PAIN!** "

Ryofu stepped into the circle and punched BG-Nagata in the face, knocking him to the floor.

" **Ow! My face!** "

Sekito released BG-Nagata's crotch and padded over to Ryofu. Ryofu picked up her dog and smiled.

"Good boy."

" **The pain...all I know is pain...** " BG-Nagata whimpered pathetically on the floor.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14C: VOMIT WAR**

BG-Nagata finished spewing all over Hideyoshi and smiled.

Hideyoshi wiped the stuff off his glasses, glared at BG-Nagata...and vomited right back in his face.

Iori looked ill and turned his head, accidentally barfing in Karasu's face.

Disgusted, Karasu threw up all over Iori.

And then they blew chunks all over each other.

Kaku walked into the room, saw the mess and deadpanned, "I'm not cleaning this up."

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14D: GETTING CLEAN**

Hideyoshi returned the GenesisDriver and Matsubokkuri Energy Lockseed to Kenshin.

"So, what happened?" Kenshin asked.

Hideyoshi avoided eye contact and muttered, "I don't want to talk about it."

Later, Hideyoshi was in the bath and desperately trying to scrub himself clean.

"Gotta get clean, gotta get clean..."

That vomit had gotten to _everywhere_ on him.

"Hideyoshi-kun, would you like me to scrub your back?" Totaku asked as she entered the bathroom in only a towel.

Well then again, maybe it wasn't _that_ bad after all.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14E: BG-NAGATA GETS A GOLDEN SHOWER**

BG-Nagata laughed as he drove another person away with his words. He might be tied up, but that didn't mean he had to stop having fun. As he threw his head back and laughed louder, his chair tilted backward. He fell flat on the floor with the chair.

" **Damn!** " BG-Nagata cursed as he tried to get back up. " **Damn it! I can't get up! Hey! Hey! Can someone come in here and help me back up!? Hey!** "

Ryofu walked into the binding circle and looked down at BG-Nagata's helpless state.

" **OK, you. Help me back up** ," BG-Nagata ordered.

Ryofu stared emotionlessly at BG-Nagata and whistled.

A pack of dogs soon ran right into the room and gathered around BG-Nagata. He did not like the look of this.

" **What...what is this...? What are you doing?** "

The dogs sniffed BG-Nagata then turned so their butts were facing him. BG-Nagata watched as each of the dogs raised a hind leg. His eyes widened as he realized what they were about to do.

" **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!** "

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14F: PLAYING RICOCHET**

Ryuubi struck the unholy Lockseed with all her might. Instead of breaking the Lockseed, the impact sent it flying towards Gien.

"Enya, watch out!" Ryuubi cried.

Gien ducked and the Blood Orange Lockseed flew over her to bounce off the wall. The Lockseed ricocheted all over the room as the three girls and one dog followed it with their eyes.

Nagata stood up and said, "Finally, he's gone."

"Nagata-sama, watch out!" Ryuubi yelled.

"Ow! Right in the back of my head!"

"Nagata-sama!"

His spirit rose from his body.

" _I'm a ghost again!? Seriously!?"_


	22. Interlude IV: Enemy Within

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Interlude IV: Enemy Within**

BG-Nagata suddenly froze as he was about to continue assaulting Ryuubi.

' _LET HER GO!'_

" **ARGH!** " BG-Nagata screamed as he released Ryuubi and held his head. The loud shout in his head was giving him a splitting headache. " **What!?** _**Gaim!?**_ "

"Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi whispered.

' _I SAID LET HER GO! NOW!'_

BG-Nagata was suddenly pulled away with great force.

* * *

Bujin Gaim, in his Blood Orange Arms Armor, found himself back in the restaurant in Nagata's mindscape. He always found coming into Nagata's mindscape to be a disorienting experience. Since the boy came from a different era, everything just seemed so alien to the demon.

He growled in irritation once he spotted Nagata standing across from him. It had taken all his willpower to escape from whatever corner in his mind Bujin Gaim had trapped him in. After seeing the things Bujin Gaim had done, he had finally reached his breaking point.

Enough was enough.

" **You know, Gaim. I can't just keep coming back here to keep you in line** ," said Bujin Gaim. " **It's very rude and inconvenient for me.** "

"I'm not letting you hurt anyone, anymore," Nagata responded.

" **Like those people I killed? You know, you could've stopped me, but you didn't. And now they're dead because you were too weak to stop me!** "

"...You're right, and that is why I'm going to stop you, here and now."

Bujin Gaim spread his arms, challenging Nagata, " **Well, by all means. Hit me with your best shot!** "

There was no hesitation as Nagata broke into a run as he dashed towards Bujin Gaim. He began throwing punches at the demonic Rider. Standing his ground, Bujin Gaim blocked the blows effortlessly. When Nagata switched to a roundhouse kick, Bujin Gaim caught Nagata's leg before sending him sliding back with a palm strike.

" **How can you still keep fighting, Gaim? Even though you know how pointless it is?** " Bujin Gaim asked as he suddenly closed the gap between them, startling Nagata. Bujin Gaim punched Nagata in the face and sent him flying across the room and into a table, breaking it in half.

Nagata picked himself up from the broken furniture and frowned, eyes narrowed with burning determination.

"I will _never_ stop fighting," Nagata resolved as he seemingly teleported in front of Bujin Gaim. He started throwing kicks and punches which Bujin Gaim blocked. However, one punch managed to slip past Bujin Gaim's guard and nail him right in the face. While Bujin Gaim was stunned, Nagata performed a heel kick that hit him right in the jaw before he followed up with a roundhouse kick right to the midsection.

Bujin Gaim grunted as he staggered from the blow. Howling like a wild beast, Nagata began throwing punches with incredible speed and force, hitting Bujin Gaim in the face, chest, and stomach repeatedly. He wailed on his opponent mercilessly. Then, when he was about to slam a haymaker right in Bujin Gaim's face, the evil demonic Rider waved his hand and deflected the punch.

" **Enough of this!** "

A pool of black ooze spread from under Nagata and slimy black limbs shot out to bind him. Nagata struggled but the limbs held firmly, preventing him from breaking free.

"Argh!" Nagata shouted as he thrashed.

" **Just look at you! You're just an ant trying to confront a god, and you don't even realize you're out of your league!** "

"You're not a god!"

" **Neither are you. You're not a hero and you're certainly no king, either. You're just a sad, pathetic boy trying to escape mediocrity and become something he isn't.** "

"That's natural, isn't it? We all want to be more than we already are. We all want to change and become better. There's no shame with having ambition."

" **And yet you criticize my former self's ambition.** "

"It wasn't his ambition I had a problem with. It's just what he was willing to do to achieve it was wrong. But at least, _he_ had ambition. You're just doing whatever you want because you think your power gives you the right!"

" **Of course. It is the right of those in power to do what they want with those beneath them. The weak only function to serve the strong and they can only perish once their usefulness has ended.** "

"That's where you're wrong. Might doesn't make you right. That just makes you a tyrant."

Bujin Gaim scowled, annoyed.

" **I don't need to listen to** _ **this**_ **.** "

Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers. It was the time he took care of Nagata _permanently_.

Nagata's eyes widened in shock as he started to sink. The arms holding him were dragging him down with them. The arms' grip tightened around him, dragging him deeper into the pool of dark ooze.

Nagata had to break free. With a shout, he reached out and grabbed hold onto the edges of the tar pit. He struggled as he tried to pull himself back up.

" **Struggle all you like, Gaim. It's futile** ," said Bujin Gaim as he sat down on a table to watch.

"This really gets you off, doesn't it?" Nagata spat.

" **What can I say? It's a lot of fun** ," Bujin Gaim confirmed as he popped open a bottle of beer. " **And once you're gone, your body will be all mine alone, and everything you possess will belong to** _ **me.**_ " He then tipped the bottle over as his mouthplate opened up like a pair of sharp metallic jaws. He chugged the beer down until the bottle was empty. Once he was done, he tossed the empty bottle away and wiped his mouth clean. He then popped open another bottle.

" **But don't you worry, though. I'll take good care of your girls.** _ **Very**_ **good care of them** ," Bujin Gaim sneered smugly with a perverse tone. The demonic Rider was so delighted in seeing Nagata suffer in despair, and was anticipating the moment he _completely_ gained control over everything Nagata possessed.

As Nagata continued to struggle, part of him felt that this would be it.

This was it.

He wasn't going to make it.

His life was over.

" _Nagata-sama, I know you're still in there! You saved Aisha! If you can hear me, fight back! Fight back!"_

However, another, much stronger part of him refused to give up and urged him to keep fighting.

" _Nagata-sama, I know you're stronger than this! You're stronger than him! You can beat him! Fight!"_

He wasn't going to give up.

" **I find it ironic. You always hated my former self for being selfish, but you're not so different either.** "

"I'm nothing like Nise!"

" **Really? How many soldiers have** _ **died**_ **under your command? How many people sacrificed themselves for you? How many lives were** _ **lost**_ **under your watch?** "

At the mention of the word sacrifice, Nagata recalled the last person who had given up her life for him... _Nanamomo_.

His friend.

"Too many to count! And I mourn for every life that is lost because they fought for me! But unlike you, unlike Nise, I don't command from the rear where it's safe! I don't order them to throw their lives away! I lead in front and fight alongside them!

"It's true that people will do anything to obtain their dreams! Nise and I both dream of becoming heroes, but that's where our similarities end! He wanted to become a hero for his own selfish desires, for fame and glory! I wished to become a hero, simply for the sake of being a hero! That is why I continue to fight!

"I fight so the sacrifices of those who fought for me will not be in vain!

"I fight in their memory, to carry on their dreams!

"I fight so that the people I love can reach their own dreams!

"I fight so that they can have a better tomorrow!

"And most importantly, I fight for their _hope_!"

The Oda Clan medallion Nagata wore around his neck began to shine. All of a sudden, it released a bright flash.

 **[NOBUNAGA!]**

Suddenly, a small swirling purple portal opened up in front of Nagata's chest before something emerged. The thing that came out looked like a disembodied garment. The garment consisted of a black chestplate with triangular shoulder pads. Purple sleeves flared out from the shoulder pads and a waist-length purple cape with the Oda Clan's crest on it hung from the back. The kabuto-like headpiece, which sat in the center of the upturn gold collar, had a topknot that bloomed at the top. From within the shadows of the headpiece, a pair of menacing violet eyes glowed.

Bujin Gaim spewed beer out of his mouth out of surprise.

" **WHAT!?** "

The spirit garment turned towards Nagata and grabbed hold of his hand using its sleeves to pull him out of the tar pit. The slimy limbs turned slack and released him as he broke free.

Nagata locked eyes with the spirit garment. It felt familiar to him.

" _I am thou...thou art I..._ "

The spirit garment placed something inside Nagata's hand.

It was a sparkling golden Lockseed emblazoned with the Oda Clan crest.

"Thank you," Nagata said to the spirit garment. It nodded in response to Nagata's gratitude.

 **[SEIFUKU ARMS! DAI AKUMA, SEKAI SEIFUKU!]**

" **Looks like I'll have to kill you myself** ," Bujin Gaim decided as he summoned his Blood Drake Tail Sword and stepped menacingly towards Nagata.

The purple spirit garment suddenly attacked Bujin Gaim to hold him at bay.

" **Get off me!** " Bujin Gaim shouted as he swung his sword in an attempt to drive the annoying thing away.

Nagata unlocked the golden Lockseed, activating it.

 **[DAI SHOGUN!]**

The SengokuDriver appeared around his waist and he locked the Lockseed in.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

"Henshin!" Nagata yelled as he hit the Cutting Blade.

 **[SOIYA!]**

The Sparkling Orange Arms dropped on Nagata's head, causing the Ryujin Ride Wear suit materialized over his body. The Sparkling Orange Armor Part disassembled to form the armor, revealing his Ryujin Kabuto. Finally, the shoulder armor vanished to make room for the spirit garment as it flew over to him.

The spirit garment's chestpiece vanished as it draped itself over the Sparkling Orange Armor and the headpiece merged with the Ryujin Kabuto. In a flash, his visor filled with color as it flashed orange.

 **[RYUJIN! SPARKLING ORANGE! NOBUNAGA! DAI SHOGUN ARMS! SEKAI NO OU! SHINING DAIROKUTEN MAOU!]**

Great Shogun. King of the World. The Shining Demon King of the 6th Heaven.

This was **Shogun Gaim**.

Bujin Gaim took a step back and gawked.

" **No...This isn't possible...** "

"In here, _anything_ is possible," Shogun Gaim retorted. "Bujin Gaim, this is my stage! Now get the hell off!"

" **No, the stage is** _ **mine**_ **!** " Bujin Gaim protested as he snapped his fingers and called upon two familiar figures.

Shogun Gaim scowled. Bujin Gaim had summoned his former selves: Bloody Gaim and Nise-Zangetsu. They were both armed and ready for combat as they attacked.

Nise-Zangetsu kept his distance as he fired his Sonic Arrow as Bloody Gaim charged straight for Shogun Gaim. Shogun Gaim deflected the energy arrows with his Musou Saber while Bloody Gaim quickly closed the gap and struck with his Blood Daidaimaru. The Blood Daidaimaru met resistance as Shogun Gaim deflected it with the Musou Saber. Shogun Gaim slashed Bloody Gaim with the Musou Saber before performing a roundhouse kick that sent Bloody Gaim staggering.

Nise-Zangetsu dashed towards Shogun Gaim, joining his brother in battle. Shogun Gaim used his sole Musou Saber to parry their blows before retaliating, sending them backpedaling as sparks burst out from their chests.

 **[SOIYA! DAI SHOGUN AU LAIT!]**

Energy encased the blade of the Musou Saber and Gaim rapidly slashed Bloody Gaim and Nise-Zangetsu. The two fake Riders froze as Shogun Gaim continuously piled on damage with each slash.

Finally, he performed the finishing blow, shouting, " _DAI RYUJIN SHOGUN SLASH!_ "

The two fake Riders exploded.

"You're next!" Shogun Gaim pointed his Musou Saber at Bujin Gaim threateningly.

Bujin Gaim roared as he struck the floor. A huge crack spread out between Shogun Gaim and Bujin Gaim, separating them. The restaurant then shattered like glass to reveal an empty void. The void soon turned into outer space with stars, planets, moons and galaxies scattered all around them.

Bujin Gaim stood on a stone platform as Shogun Gaim stood on another, with a hundred feet of distance between them. It was a distance only Superman could cross with a single jump.

Bujin Gaim summoned his new weapon, the Toxic Arrow, and fired at Shogun Gaim. Shogun Gaim, knowing what the weapon could do to him, dodged the rounds. He then took a risk and jumped as the Toxic Arrow's shots flew past him. Miraculously, he crossed the empty space between himself and Bujin Gaim and landed upon the latter's stone platform.

Immediately, they clashed and sparks exploded as their weapons met.

" **It's a shame I'll have to kill you! I've enjoyed our time together!** "

"I doubt that!"

" **No, I'm serious! I mean, watching your entire life story, and how you developed such childish dreams and ideals, has been quite entertaining! I'm going to genuinely miss you, Gaim!** "

"This isn't about weak dreams, childish ideals, resolutions or even motive anymore! This is about _me_ kicking _your_ butt!"

Shogun Gaim kicked Bujin Gaim in the stomach, sending him reeling. In retaliation, Bujin Gaim swung his sword, but Shogun Gaim parried the blade before striking Bujin Gaim in the chest. He swung again, but Bujin Gaim blocked it with the Toxic Arrow. However, Shogun Gaim managed to break his guard and land another critical blow on him. Sparks flew on impact along with black blood splattering the ground.

Bujin Gaim felt the gash across his chest and snarled.

"First blood goes to me," Shogun Gaim proclaimed.

" **Lucky shot!** " Bujin Gaim shot back with the Toxic Arrow. Shogun Gaim swiftly sidestepped the shot and summoned his own firearm.

 **[NOBUNAGUN!]**

A familiar, hi-tech, purple shotgun rifle appeared in Shogun Gaim's free hand. It now included a bayonet blade attachment folded back against the length of the barrel.

The two exchanged shots, running parallel with each other. The Toxic Arrow's bolts missed but Shogun Gaim's aim was true as he managed to shoot the Blood Drake Tail Sword out of Bujin Gaim's hand, sending it falling into the void.

" **My sword! You bastard!** " exclaimed Bujin Gaim.

Bujin Gaim aimed his Toxic Arrow, but he was soon relieved of it as well as Shogun Gaim shot it out of his grip and sent it plummeting into the abyss below.

" **Stop that!** "

"This is my world, and you no longer have any power in it!"

" **We'll see about that!** "

Bujin Gaim snapped his fingers and dark tendrils shot out of the platform's floor. They wrapped around Shogun Gaim and lifted him into the air, causing him to drop his weapons. Bujin Gaim waved his hand back and forth to slam Shogun Gaim repeatedly to the ground. He then made the tendrils release Shogun Gaim. As Shogun Gaim was about to crash, four tendrils caught him by his wrists and ankles, keeping him suspended in the air.

" **Now that I've softened you up, it's time to tear you apart.** "

Bujin Gaim spread his arms apart and the tendrils began to pull on Shogun Gaim's limbs, threatening to tear him to pieces. Shogun Gaim gritted his teeth to keep from screaming as he felt himself being pulled apart in four directions.

"I won't give up!" Shogun Gaim shouted. "You hear me!?"

" **It doesn't matter how strong a will to live you have. You'll die and I'll take your body,** _ **forever.**_ "

Shogun Gaim gritted his teeth as he was pulled to his limits. He felt like his arms and legs were being pulled out of their sockets.

"I...need...help...!" Shogun Gaim grunted as he was slowly being pulled apart by his limbs. He silently prayed for a miracle.

And he got one.

 **[RYUJIN!]**

All of a sudden, a blue dragon of light came out of nowhere. It snapped the tendrils in its jaws before it snatched Shogun Gaim out of the air.

" **WHAT!?** "

The blue dragon of light gently put Shogun Gaim on his feet. Shogun Gaim was awed by the sight of the blue dragon. The blue dragon then began to morph as it changed into a more humanoid shape. When the light surrounding it faded, Shogun Gaim was looking into a mirror.

He was looking at Ryujin Gaim, complete with the Ryujin Raiment and armed with the Ryujinmaru.

"You called for a miracle?" Ryujin Gaim asked rhetorically.

No one was more shocked than Bujin Gaim as he reeled at the sight of two Gaims.

" **WHAT!? NOW THERE ARE TWO OF YOU!? HOW!?** "

Ryujin Gaim and Shogun Gaim shared a look of understanding and turned to face their common foe.

"Nothing is impossible in the realm of the mind!" Shogun Gaim started.

"A strong imagination can beat the impossible!" added Ryujin Gaim.

They stood back to back, crossing their arms.

"Double Trouble!"

"We're Two-in-One!"

"Double Riders!"

They then struck a heroic pose together. It was Kamen Rider Ichigo's signature pose as they stood side-by-side, mirroring each other for symmetry.

"WE ARE KAMEN RIDER GAIM!"

The Double Gaim Riders shared a hi-five before facing Bujin Gaim.

"Let's win this fight with our super spectacular co-op play!" both Gaims announced as they flicked their wrists, and charged towards Bujin Gaim.

Bujin Gaim threw his cape up as Ryujin Gaim attacked from the right, shielding himself. He then morphed his cape into a spike and struck Ryujin Gaim with it, knocking him down.

Shogun Gaim hung back and fired from a distance before he closed in when he saw an opening. The bullets hit a barrier and Bujin Gaim waved his hand, sending Shogun Gaim flying.

Ryujin Gaim and Shogun Gaim regrouped. Even without any weapons and outnumbered, Bujin Gaim was still a formidable opponent.

"We gotta shut his powers down."

"Any ideas?"

"No, not really."

"Well, we better think of something quick or it's game over-WATCH OUT!"

Ryujin Gaim shielded himself and his twin from Bujin Gaim's red lightning with a barrier of blue lightning. The red lightning harmlessly splashed off the blue barrier.

As Ryujin Gaim protected himself and his twin, Shogun Gaim got an idea.

"Hey, I got an idea!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Let's show him the power of the Shoku Faction."

Ryujin Gaim's smile matched Shogun Gaim's.

"Let's do it!"

Ryujin Gaim dispersed the barrier.

 **[GREEN DRAGON CRESCENT BLADE!]**

 **[VIPER SPEAR!]**

Ryujin Gaim summoned the weapons, arming himself with Kanu's signature polearm while Chouhi's trademark spear appeared in Shogun Gaim's hands.

The two Riders deflected Bujin Gaim's lightning with their weapons before they rushed towards him. Caught by surprise, Bujin Gaim was struck by the Green Dragon Crescent Blade as Ryujin Gaim slashed him across the chest with it.

" **ARGH!** "

Then Shogun Gaim drove the Viper Spear into Bujin Gaim's stomach, sending him reeling back.

" **GAH! DAMN YOU!** "

Using his power, Bujin Gaim re-summoned his Blood Drake Tail Sword and swung, driving his two opponents back.

"Next!" Ryujin Gaim called.

 **[SILVER FLASH!]**

 **[DRAGON FANG!]**

Replacing their weapons, Ryujin Gaim gripped Bacho's cross yari while Shogun Gaim wielded Chou'un's bident. They attacked him with thrusts and jabs as Bujin Gaim used his sword to deflect their blows. Together, they managed to break through his guard and pierce him in the chest. Bujin Gaim was lifted into the air before he was thrown back to the ground.

" **You're going to pay for that!** " Bujin Gaim snapped as he picked himself and charged at them.

 **[BLUNT SHATTERED BONE!]**

Ryujin Gaim smashed Gien's massive kanabo against Bujin Gaim's sword, disarming him before smashing him in the face. He then sent him skyward with an upward swing.

"He's all yours!" Ryujin Gaim called to his twin.

 **[HURRICANE PENG!]**

Shogun Gaim aimed with Kochu's signature bow and fired a multitude of arrows which pierced Bujin Gaim's armor. He screamed as the arrows skewered him as he plummeted to the ground.

Bujin Gaim groaned as he picked himself up, just in time to see both Gaims coming at him with a pair of identical swords.

 **[DRAGON CLAW SWORD!]**

"YOU BASTARDS!" Bujin Gaim roared as he brought back his Toxic Arrow and fired the corrosive rounds at them. The holy swords glowed as Shogun Gaim and Ryujin Gaim used them to deflect the Toxic Arrow's acidic bolts.

Once they closed the distance, both Gaims swung their copies of Ryuubi's Dragon Claw Sword and slashed Bujin Gaim across the chest, leaving an X-shaped gash. He screamed as black blood burst from the wound.

The Gaims attacked relentlessly, inflicting agonizing wounds on the demonic Rider. Bujin Gaim tried to use the Toxic Arrow to defend himself, but it shattered to pieces when it connected with the Dragon Claw Swords.

 **[RYUJIN/DAI SHOGUN SQUASH!]**

"Hyah!" both Gaims shouted as they stabbed Bujin Gaim at the same time. The energy burst from the swords caused an explosion that flung Bujin Gaim backward.

Bujin Gaim lay on the ground but slowly began to recover as he forced himself to stand back up. His body had sustained critical damage as he felt agonizing pain shooting throughout his whole form.

And it was all because of _them_.

" **HOW ARE YOU STILL SO STRONG, GAIM!? WHAT IS YOUR SECRET!? TELL ME!** " Bujin Gaim demanded loudly.

How could Nagata's willpower overcome Bujin Gaim's god-like strength?

"It's no secret, Nise," answered Ryujin Gaim.

"It's really quite obvious, but we'll tell you anyway," added Shogun Gaim.

"We're stronger because we're not alone."

"We're stronger because we have _them_."

Bujin Gaim's eyes widened as the Shoku Warriors appeared, assembled with both Gaims.

"We're stronger because we have something to fight for. We're strong because our family is here with us," finished both Gaims in unison as images of their parents, both biological and adoptive, and their godmothers assembled with the Shoku Warriors.

Bujin Gaim could take no more.

" **Damn you...damn you...** " Bujin Gaim growled furiously, as he was mentally driven to the edge.

 **[SEIFUKU SPARKING!]**

" **JUST DISAPPEAR WITH YOUR SENTIMENTAL RUBBISH!** "

A dark aura surrounded Bujin Gaim whilst he spun in place, forming a tornado of dark menacing power that lifted him higher and higher. He then performed a dropkick as he rapidly rotated, his cape wrapping around him to form a living drill.

"No, you don't!" Ryujin Gaim shouted as he initiated his own finisher.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

An electrified aura exploded off Ryujin Gaim before he leaped into the air. Electrical energy burst out of his extended right leg as he performed a flying kick, heading to intercept Bujin Gaim and counter his finisher.

" _DAI RYUJIN RIDER KICK!_ "

The collision created an explosion that sent both Ryujin Gaim and Bujin Gaim falling out of the air.

"You're up, me!" Ryujin Gaim prompted his twin into action.

 **[SOIYA! DAI SHOGUN SPARKING!]**

Shogun Gaim fired the Nobunagun, sending a purple energy orb flying towards Bujin Gaim. The sphere hit and expanded, trapping Bujin Gaim in a floating purple energy bubble. Bujin Gaim bashed his fists against the energy bubble, but it wouldn't break no matter how hard he tried.

Ryujin Gaim landed on his feet and summoned his weapon.

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]**

"NOW, GET THE HELL OUT OF ME!" Ryujin Gaim and Shogun Gaim yelled in unison.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

 **[LOCK OFF!]**

Shogun Gaim also removed his Dai Shogun Lockseed and loaded it into the Drive Bay of his Nobunagun.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

Ryujin Gaim aimed the DJ Gun at Bujin Gaim while Shogun Gaim leveled his charging Nobunagun at the demon as well.

 **[DAI SHOGUN CHARGE!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN NO SEIFUKU HOU_ _(Great Dragon God's Conquest Cannon)!_ "

Ryujin Gaim and Shogun Gaim roared as they pulled the triggers, rapidly unloading the Nobunagun and DJ Gun's united firepower upon Bujin Gaim, blasting him mercilessly.

At the same time, the Infinite Armory fired upon Bujin Gaim. Weapons of all kinds of shapes and sizes continuously smashed into the vengeful specter, dealing critical damage as they removed vital chunks from his body.

They were truly devastating strikes with a power worthy of conquerors.

Bujin Gaim was obliterated in a rain of steel and firepower.

It was over...

Suddenly, Shogun Gaim pivoted around and drove the Nobunagun's bayonet straight into Bujin Gaim.

Feigning his destruction, the Dark Rider had tried to ambush them from behind.

The demonic Dark Rider froze as the bayonet pierced his heart.

Shogun Gaim withdrew the bayonet. The blade then folded at a right angle over the muzzle, like a scythe. He then swung, lobbing Bujin Gaim's head right off.

Bujin Gaim's head rolled on the ground before it came to a stop. Shogun Gaim walked over to it and looked down, pumping his Nobunagun.

"Fool me once, shame on you." Shogun Gaim leveled his Nobunagun at Bujin Gaim's head at point blank range.

"Fool me twice, shame on me," Ryujin Gaim added.

"Now, embrace the darkness and rest in peace," they finished in unison.

Shogun Gaim squeezed the trigger, blasting Bujin Gaim's head to pieces.

 _Now_ , it was over.

Ryujin Gaim patted Shogun Gaim's shoulder and said, "Good job."

"Thanks," Shogun Gaim accepted, still feeling weird since he was technically speaking with himself. He didn't want this to be a trick like the last time when he thought he finally defeated Bujin Gaim.

"Hope this means it's finally over."

Unfortunately, for them, it wasn't over quite yet. The ground under their feet soon morphed into a pool of black tar and they were starting to sink into it.

"Oh, come on!" Shogun Gaim shouted as limbs shot out of the tar pit and grabbed hold of him and his double.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Ryujin Gaim shouted as he struggled only to sink deeper in the tar pit with Shogun Gaim.

If that wasn't bad enough, a gigantic version of Bujin Gaim appeared. He stood in the middle of the void, looming over them, as he looked down upon them as if they were a couple of ants. In fact, compared to him, they were the size of ants.

" **THIS IS MY WORLD NOW, GAIM. IN HERE, I AM A GOD! YOU CAN'T DEFEAT ME HERE! YOU CAN NEVER DEFEAT ME! SO WHY DON'T YOU BE A GOOD BOY AND JUST DIE ALREADY?** "

Bujin Gaim continued to relish the sight of both Gaims as they sunk deeper into the tar pit. Only their heads remained above the surface. Once they both went under, they would be gone forever, and Bujin Gaim would gain a permanent residence.

* * *

Ryuubi looked down at the Blood Orange Lockseed. She quickly went for it and grabbed hold of the dreadful object. She fiddled with it until she finally managed to unlock it.

 **[LOCK OFF!]**

The Blood Orange Lockseed came right off the SengokuDriver. Standing up, Ryuubi took a moment to glare coldly at the object.

It was the source of Bujin Gaim's power. If she destroyed it, then he would no longer exist.

She dropped the Lockseed on the floor and drew her holy Dragon Claw Sword. She raised the sword above her head, with its tip pointed down.

"Embrace the darkness and rest in peace," Ryuubi quoted Nagata.

With determination, the sword glowed with holy light. She let out a battle cry and brought her blade down on the unholy Lockseed.

It didn't break immediately, but it did crack from the initial strike.

Ryuubi struck the Lockseed repeatedly until it finally shattered to pieces.

* * *

Suddenly, Bujin Gaim was struck by a burst of agonizing pain as he screamed.

" **WHAT!? WHAT IS HAPPENING!?** " Bujin Gaim demanded. He felt like he was being repeatedly stabbed with a sword. " **WHAT'S GOING ON!? THIS IS YOUR DOING, ISN'T IT GAIM!?** "

Both Ryujin Gaim and Shogun Gaim managed to climb out of the tar pit once they stopped sinking. As they rose out of it, their bodies flashed as they fused back together and changed back into Nagata.

"It looks like you're being exorcised right now," said Nagata as he witnessed Bujin Gaim's agony. The gigantic demon's armor was cracking, spilling his black blood on the ground.

" **THIS ISN'T OVER!** " yelled Bujin Gaim in defiance.

"Actually it is over, for you that is," Nagata countered.

" **IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS! I WON'T ALLOW IT!** "

"You're a menace, _Nise_. Always have been and always will be. You're like a cockroach that refuses to die. All you do is just crawl away and hide in your hole, waiting for an opportunity to emerge and cause more harm. But when that happens, there will be people who will rise up to stop you."

" _ **AS LONG AS YOU WALK THIS PATH, GAIM, YOU WILL ONLY KNOW SUFFERING!**_ "

"And I am prepared to take that suffering if it means fighting for a better tomorrow! Now, just do everyone in the world a favor already-GO! TO! HELL!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Idunn was in Helheim Forest with a torch and a bottle of oil. She gazed down at Nise's remains. They were stripped of all his flesh, leaving behind a skeleton with his clothing. The skull was in pieces since Iori had blasted it open with his Budou Ryuhou.

She turned the bottle over, pouring the oil all over Nise's remains. Once she soaked the bones in oil, she proceeded to set them on fire.

If there was one thing she knew about spirits, it was that torching their remains should finally put them to rest.

She just hoped it worked on Bujin Gaim.

As the remains continue to burn, Idunn turned around and exited out of a portal she just opened. If all went according to plan, Bujin Gaim would be gone for good.

* * *

Bujin Gaim suddenly went silent. It was eerie and unnerving.

What was he going to do next?

All of a sudden, he let loose an inhuman, maniacal laugh.

" _ **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! IT LOOKS LIKE THE GODS OF FORTUNE SMILES UPON YOU AGAIN, GAIM! BUT I'LL BE BACK! UNTIL THEN, ENJOY SEEING ME IN YOUR NIGHTMARES! HAHAHAHAHAHA-**_ _ **AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_ "

Bujin Gaim released an inhuman shriek as he started to melt while flames rapidly burst all over his body. His mouth opened and he screamed while spewing flaming tar like an erupting volcano.

His visor shattered and his eyes dissolved. Dark smoke spewed from his empty eye sockets.

His screams continued as he gradually dissolved into a pile of inert black sludge that soon vanished into the void of Nagata's subconscious.

* * *

" _ **AAAAAAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh...!**_ "

A shrill scream of agony escaped from the Lockseed pieces until it went dead silent.

Finally, Bujin Gaim was no more.

* * *

In a flash of light, Nagata's surroundings changed back into the interior of his family's restaurant. The Nobunaga spirit garment returned and hovered in front of him.

"Thank you," Nagata said gratefully.

The spirit garment nodded as it accepted Nagata's thanks before it faded away.

While he was relieved that Bujin Gaim was finally vanquished, his last declaration still filled Nagata with dread.

Hopefully, they were just empty words and not a prophecy that would come true.

He took a moment to gaze at his surroundings. This restaurant was his home for so many years and he left it all behind, but it still remained in his memories. There were some fond memories here, and he would never forget any of them.

He pictured his family sitting at one of the tables, with him joining them as they enjoyed a wonderful meal.

But that was all in the past. He had a new life now.

It wasn't always peaceful, and it wasn't always pleasant.

It was a time of great conflict as innocent people suffered and died.

But this was the life he chose, where he could pick up a sword and use it for its intended purpose.

He would live with the choices he made, consequences and all.

* * *

 **Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil**

 **[DAI AKUMA, SEKAI SEIFUKU! (Great Devil, World Conquest!)]**

 **Seifuku Arms (Conquest Arms):** Bujin Gaim's new Arms after he takes possession of Nagata's body. The appearance is based on an armored warlord. This form is comparable to Nagata's own Ryujin Arms as it is Bujin Gaim's own ultimate form. In this form, Bujin Gaim's stats have all skyrocketed, allowing him to overpower four Sovereigns at once. He can easily dispatch a group of Riders by himself with his enhanced superhuman speed and strength. In addition, he is armed with several god-like powers and abilities that make him a deadly opponent.

 **Blood Drake Tail Sword:** Bujin Gaim's primary and signature weapon. It is a sword with a red jagged blade that resembles a spiked dragon's tail. Bujin Gaim is capable of altering the sword's size and even length. It can even assume a whip sword form for long-ranged attacks.

 **Toxic Arrow:** A Sonic Arrow that Bujin Gaim altered with his power. It fires corrosive energy bolts, hence the name. Instead of a drawing mechanism to fire the acidic energy bolts, it uses a trigger mechanism like a gun or crossbow.

 **Cape:** Bujin Gaim's cape is not technically a weapon, but he has used it as such. He altered it to become a spike or used it as a shield.

Bujin Gaim himself has demonstrated the following abilities:

 **Invulnerability:** He is capable of shrugging off hits without a problem. However, this does not make him invincible. A strong enough attack can still cause damage.

 **Enhanced Strength:** Bujin Gaim, in his Conquest Arms, has demonstrated incredibly physical might as he was able to overpower the Four Sovereigns single-handedly.

 **Enhanced Senses:** He could detect the presence of Gaim, Idunn, and Ryugen while they were hiding. Either he could detect their presence or had very good hearing.

 **Regeneration:** He can recover from crippling damage with ease by reattaching his limbs. He is also able to regenerate his damaged chest. His regenerative powers are so advanced that he is also able to regenerate from his Lockseed as long as it remains intact.

 **Tentacles:** Now that he's no longer human, Bujin Gaim's body contains a nest of extendable tentacles that he can use as additional appendages for combat or murder.

 **Telekinesis:** He can move objects and people with his mind. He easily threw back Gaim's weapons with a wave of his hand. This ability also allows him to strangle a person without touching them.

 **Flight:** By turning his cape into a pair of bat-like wings, Bujin Gaim becomes capable of flight.

 **Electrokinesis:** Bujin Gaim is able to fire lightning from his hands.

 **Aerokinesis:** Bujin Gaim gains the power to manipulate air after equipping himself with the Ryujin Raiment.

 **Energy Blasts:** Bujin Gaim is capable of firing energy blasts from his limbs and body.

 **Portal Creation:** Bujin Gaim can easily open portals between the human world and Helheim Forest. He can also open a portal to any place he wants to go.

 **Chlorokinesis:** He summoned up vines from the ground to bind the Shoku Warriors.

 **Assimilation:** He can acquire the powers, weapons, and abilities of anything or anyone he devours. This is the ability he used to change into Kachidoki Arms after swallowing the Kachidoki Lockseed.

 **Generating Weapons:** He can generate the weapons of the Armored War Gods he absorbs. He demonstrated this by summoning Ryugen's Budou Ryuhou, Kiwi Gekirin, Idunn's Sword Bringer and Gaim's DJ Gun.

 **Spawning Minions:** He can spawn an army of Black Sproutmen to do his bidding. The Black Sproutmen can also change their appearance based on Bujin Gaim's imagination.

 **Possession:** Also as a last resort, and as long as his Lockseed remains intact, Bujin Gaim can possess a vessel. Consent is unnecessary. While possessing someone, he has access to their memories and complete control over their mindscape. He is also indestructible and cannot be killed when possessing someone. He also cannot be expelled unless the Lockseed is removed.

 **Immortality:** As long as his Blood Orange Lockseed remains intact, Bujin Gaim can revive again.

 **Transformation:** Bujin Gaim is able to access a large and demonic tree-like form as a last resort. This form gives him the ability to spawn Black Sproutmen and fire energy blasts from the tentacles on top.

He did suffer from some weaknesses, though:

 **Arrogance:** Because of his new superior power, Bujin Gaim is prideful and arrogant. Instead of finishing off his enemies, he took his time and played with them despite having the power to destroy them with a single thought.

 **Demon-binding circle:** A powerful demon-binding circle is enough to keep him trapped in one place. It can also drain him of his strength and power, leaving him as weak as an average human.

 **Blessed and holy weapons:** Blessed and holy weapons, like Ryuubi's sword, can harm him.

 **Blood Orange Lockseed:** Bujin Gaim's source of power and his most fatal weakness. His entire existence depends on the Lockseed as it contains his consciousness. Ryuubi shattered the Lockseed, causing Bujin Gaim to cease to exist (or so it would seem).

 **Burning the remains:** A spirit can be put to rest by burning its earthly remains. This applies to demons who were once humans as well. As Bujin Gaim was born from Nise's hatred, then the immolation of his remains would finally put the demonic spirit to rest. However, this method may not always work if the spirit finds something else to bind its existence to, which can be either an inanimate object with sentimental value or even a person.

 _*I based Seifuku Arms on an image of Bujin Gaim Kiwami Arms drawn by RamenDriver. I made some alterations like taking away the fruit basket chest painting._

* * *

 **[RYUJIN! SPARKLING ORANGE! NOBUNAGA! DAI SHOGUN ARMS! SEKAI NO OU! SHINING DAIROKUTEN MAOU! (Great Shogun Arms! King of the World! The Shining Demon King of the 6th Heaven!)]**

 **Dai Shogun Arms:** This is Gaim's hybrid form with the Ryujin Ride Wear serving as the base. It is accessed with the Dai Shogun Lockseed. The Sparkling Orange Arms acts as the primary armor with the Nobunaga Spirit Armor acting as an additional armor. As this form was created by Nagata in his mindscape, it is highly unlikely it will appear in reality.

The primary weapon of this form is the **Nobunagun** which has made one appearance prior to this form's debut. The Nobunagun now includes a bayonet blade for stabbing and slashing.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #14G: DOUBLE OR NOTHING**

Gaim was facing a tough opponent. Even Kachidoki Arms wasn't enough. He needed to power up for this fight.

"Double or nothing," Gaim decided as he activated the Ryujin Key and put it in the Kachidoki Lockseed.

 **[LOCK OPEN! RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

His Kachidoki Arms Armor burst, pieces flying in all direction. This would be the prelude to his change to Ryujin Arms.

 **[RYUJIN! SPARKLING ORANGE! NOBUNAGA! DAI SHOGUN ARMS! SEKAI NO OU! SHINING DAIROKUTEN MAOU!]**

Wait, what?

The light faded and there stood Ryujin Gaim and standing next to him...was _another_ Gaim!?

Kanu and Ryuubi were speechless as they gaped at the sight.

Only Chouhi couldn't keep silent. "THERE'S _TWO_ ONII-CHAN!?"

Ryujin Gaim noticed Shogun Gaim and blinked.

Shogun Gaim looked at Ryujin Gaim and blinked back.

"Eh?"

* * *

 **KRC:** So this interlude reveals the internal struggle that took place within Nagata as he fought with Bujin Gaim. We all know that it was Ryuubi who killed Bujin Gaim here, but I think a lot of people wanted to know what was happening on the inside. I also added an additional scene where Idunn torched his bones. It was an idea I got from the drama _Supernatural_. I know I wrote that Bujin Gaim took Nise's body. But the truth was he only took the flesh and left the bones behind. He really should've tried to hide them better.

And yes, I gave Gaim ANOTHER power up. Let the angry comments come. Yes, I have been told by some reviewers I keep making Nagata into a 'special snowflake' and perhaps I have been treating him as so. Yes, being a protagonist doesn't immediately make you special. You still have to earn it. But, hey, I was going to kill off Bujin Gaim anyway. I might as well end it with a bang in Nagata's head. Having him **DOUBLE UP** and fight as two was a last-minute addition. I mean, I saw Kamen Rider Ex-Aid's recent episode and him using the **Mighty Brothers XX Gashat**. I saw what it could do and decided to somehow incorporate that into the chapter. It worked out great in the end. I even put in a funny omake that mirrors when it happened in Ex-Aid.

Anyway, I originally never planned for Bujin Gaim's arc to extend this far. It was supposed to end right after Nanamomo sacrificed herself, but as I read the draft it just didn't feel satisfactory. Plus, I've been getting some reviews saying all my villains were just bland.

So, I took that as a challenge and upgraded Bujin Gaim into the threat he should've been and I think I was pretty successful.

I made him twisted, wicked, witty, and all around overpowered to the point that the heroes couldn't defeat him. But I still managed to give him a weakness. The whole 'mogwai' (vengeful spirit) thing was something I found via research, and it truly did fit Bujin Gaim's new identity. And no, it's not that kind of mogwai from the 'Gremlins' movies if that's what you're thinking.

Well, this concludes this arc but there are tons more where that came from. Please, read, review, fave and follow. Thank you!


	23. Rebirth of the Demon Beast King

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

The Femme Fatales gathered in Dai Shi's chamber. They knelt in front of their lord's coffin as they displayed their deep devotion towards him. The day of his revival was close at hand, and they now had everything they would need to bring him back to life.

They had gathered enough Rinki for the ritual, they even had the Crucial Keys to the Way of Peace which would hold all that Rinki, and they finally had the Seal of Heaven in their possession. It was the key to bringing him back from the dead.

All they needed now was a location to conduct the ritual, and they already had just the place in mind. Projected above them was the image of the former Imperial Palace, located in the now abandoned city of Rakuyo.

Dai Shi would rise again, and nothing was going to stop them from fulfilling their goal. Anyone who dared would face swift and painful retribution.

They _swore_ upon Dai Shi's name.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 15: Rebirth of the Demon Beast King**

* * *

Nagata's plan to restore Rakuyo was progressing as scheduled despite recent _setbacks_. It took a lot of effort and negotiation to persuade the work crew and surviving guards to come back after what Bujin Gaim had done.

When they were told that it wasn't really Nagata who attacked them but a demon masquerading as him, not many of them were convinced. Nonetheless, they stayed to work on Rakuyo as they needed the money. Nagata was offering to pay each of them a generous sum of money.

Nagata was glad that they chose to stay. He just wished they didn't look at him with suspicious gazes.

For this plan of his to work, builders and carpenters from all across the land were contracted to help restore the Imperial City and return it to its former glory. To ensure their safety, Nagata had guards stationed in Rakuyo.

Things seemed to be working smoothly. The guards and workers got along well, for the most part. There would be some conflict on occasion, but nothing too serious.

The guards on the wall were keeping their eyes open for anything, but so far they hadn't experienced any trouble.

It had been weeks since work on rebuilding Rakuyo started, and so far all the work was going smoothly.

Initially, everyone felt uncomfortable since they would be staying at the site of a terrible tragedy, but they soon settled into a routine that took their minds off what happened.

Doctors were stationed there to provide medical assistance. Sometimes, accidents happened and workers would get injured or fall ill from overwork.

It was good to have more than one doctor around in case of emergencies. A single physician wouldn't be enough for such a large work crew and the guards.

All the guards had to do was look after the construction workers, look out for any trouble, and resolve conflicts. They usually just let the carpenters and builders do their job but would intervene if there was trouble. They also hung out together during break time.

It didn't matter if they all came from different kingdoms. They were all working towards a common goal. Plus, the pay was good, and they were making history by restoring the former imperial capital.

* * *

It was in the dead of night when the Femme Fatales made their move. In their human forms, they gathered together in a field with Rakuyo standing in the distance.

"The time has come, my sisters," Shirokumahime declared. "Tonight, Dai Shi-sama rises. But first, we need to prepare our sacrifices."

"Do we sneak in?" Hyohime asked.

"No, there will be no need for that," Shirokumahime declined. "Nobody in there is a threat to us."

"So what's the plan?" Hebihime asked.

"Split up and take out all the guards on the north, south, east and west walls. Then wipe out everyone inside," Shirokumahime ordered.

"Kill them all?" Hyohime asked as she gazed at her eldest sister and leader.

"Kill them all," Shirokumahime confirmed.

"This is gonna be fun," Takahime grinned sadistically.

"Bet I kill more than you," Hebihime dared Takahime.

"Hah, you're on!" Takahime gleefully accepted the dare.

"Have fun, everyone," Shachihime encouraged.

Leading the charge, Shirokumahime dashed with her sisters towards Rakuyo. They then separated to begin their mission. Shirokumahime didn't need to wait long for the first kill of the night.

Upon the north wall, Hyohime silently killed the guards. They never saw her coming as she used their shadows to swiftly appear and disappear, slitting their throats before any of them could react and sound the alarm. She was swift, silent, and deadly.

The south wall would suffer heavy casualties as Takahime rained her razor sharp feathers to strike down the guards stationed there. Her cloak took on the form of wings, allowing her to fly and avoid the archer's arrows before she retaliated with lethal force. She watched gleefully as their blood spilled and her lips widened maniacally as she enjoyed herself. Swooping down, she picked up a guard who screamed and struggled helplessly in her grip. Lifting him high into the air, once they were high enough, she released him and watched as he went splat all over the ground.

Upon the west wall, Shachihime was drowning her victims as she formed water spheres around their heads. They couldn't breathe as water filled their lungs. A few others suffered an even worse fate as she force-fed water down their throats. Their bodies swelled and burst like balloons, spilling water, blood, and their innards.

As for Hebihime, she performed an alluring belly dance to distract the guards of the east wall. They were enthralled by her dance as her hips moved in a hypnotic pattern. They couldn't take their eyes off her as they were mesmerized by her dance. Once she had them completely captivated, she struck and snapped their necks with her bare hands.

Truly, men were foolish beings as they let their guard down at the sight of a beautiful woman.

Finally, Shirokumahime took the north wall entrance and entered the city without much of a fuss, but then she heard the alarm gong ring loudly.

There was a watchtower set up to survey for oncoming threats. The guards assigned for watchtower duty likely spotted the Femme Fatales and sounded the alarm. The loud ring of the gong would soon awaken the sleeping men and they would try to flee.

That would complicate matters, but it wasn't something she couldn't handle. It was just a minor inconvenience. She just had to stop them from leaving.

Spotting the watchtower and her targets, she formed icicles out of the palm of her hands then shot them at the watchtower guards. Her icicles hit them in the head and heart, instantly killing them as their entire bodies froze solid. One guard even fell off the watchtower, dead before his entire frozen body shattered when it hit the ground.

Closing the large doors behind her, she sealed the exit with ice before she went in search of her prey. None would escape tonight. She would make sure of it.

Several guards saw her, and one of them shouted, "Freeze! No sudden moves!"

While she looked like a beautiful woman clad in white, they knew she was a dangerous threat. She was like the yuki-onna of Japanese lore, beautiful but cold-hearted.

Shirokumahime smiled coldly as a snowstorm began to emerge from her. She blasted the helpless guards with her blizzard and watched as they slowly froze to death. It was agonizing as their blood turned to ice and their natural body heat left them, replaced only by the chilling cold.

However, she left one guard alive. The guard was a young man, pretty good looking in her opinion. Perhaps she should give him a slice of Heaven before sending him to Hell.

The lone guard stood frozen, trembling from the cold and fear as Shirokumahime approached him. She might just be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and the deadliest too.

He wanted to run, but he could not will himself to flee. He was far too terrified to even move a muscle.

That made him an easy prey for her.

As Shirokumahime stood before him, she caressed his face with a cold hand and forced him to look into her icy blue eyes. She then claimed his lips with her own in a soft kiss.

For the young guard, to be kissed by such a beautiful woman would probably be a dream come true. For a moment, he seemed to enjoy the sensation as her blue lips massaged his.

But then the dream quickly turned into a nightmare as his body seized up as she froze him from the inside out. His insides turned to ice which then quickly covered his outside. Once he was a frozen statue, she broke the kiss and his body.

The rest of the men would no doubt try to flee, but she had frozen the other exits before she entered the city. Her sisters would also kill anyone who was trying to escape. The despair they would feel once they realized there was no way out was something she anticipated.

Shirokumahime heard a noise and looked up to see Dandeliners heading in her direction. Flying alongside them were Elementary Inves. She also saw the Tulip Hoppers heading her way with some Suika Arms units in Yoroi Mode.

Shirokumahime cared little for these 'toys'. They may be formidable, but they were still no match for her.

She took out the Seal of Heaven and she aimed her gaze towards the palace. If their master was to be resurrected, it would be in a place worthy of him.

But first, it was time to deal with some more pesky guards and their toys. She may not be impressed by them, but she did love breaking them.

* * *

Nagata stood in the middle of an unfamiliar chamber and he wasn't alone. With him were Mitsuki, Masataka, Iori, and Akechi. They looked just as startled and confused as he was, unsure of their surroundings or even how they got here.

"Oda?"

"Akechi?"

"What are you doing here? Where are we exactly?"

"I was hoping someone could tell me. The last thing I remember was going to bed."

"Nagata, what's going on?" Iori asked.

"I can't say."

"Don't forget about us," Hideyoshi stated as he approached the trio with Masataka.

"So, has anyone figured out where we are?" Nagata asked.

"We seem to be in a temple of some kind," Masataka concluded as he studied their surroundings. The floor they were standing on had a circle in the center with a mark resembling three claw slashes. In each corner of the room was a pillar which held up the ceiling.

The walls of the chamber depicted images of martial artists mimicking the movements of animals. Superimposed over each martial artist was the silhouette of the beast which corresponded to each style.

There was a man in a tiger-style stance, a man in a jaguar-style stance, a woman in a cheetah-style stance, a man in a wolf-style stance, and finally a man in a rhino-style stance. These were just a handful of stances that they saw on the walls.

Whatever this temple was, it seemed dedicated to the practice of beast-style martial arts.

Hideyoshi experimented and pinched himself.

He felt nothing. No pain, and no pinching sensation.

Just _nothing_.

"This is a dream," Hideyoshi deduced.

"Are you telling us we're still asleep in our beds?" Mitsuki demanded.

"Yeah, I pinched myself and didn't feel a thing," Hideyoshi confirmed.

"Are you a lucid dreamer?" Masataka inquired.

"Been practicing since middle school," Hideyoshi answered. "It helps when you're facing your worst nightmares."

"OK, if we're in a dream, how can we be having the _same_ dream?" Mitsuki asked.

"Maybe one of us is dreaming, and everyone else is just a figment of the dream," Hideyoshi suggested. "Or we're currently sharing the same dream."

"Sounds ridiculous," Mitsuki scoffed.

"We fight monsters on a regular basis. Normal people would call _that_ ridiculous," Hideyoshi rebutted.

"If this is a shared dream, then how did it happen? Who's responsible?" Masataka asked.

Everyone wondered the same thing. If they were sharing the same dream, that could mean some outside force wanted to assemble them and didn't want to go through the trouble of asking them in the flesh.

"That would be me," said their summoner as he appeared before them. The man wore gray robes with the hood up. He wore a silver mask with a single horn sticking out the front. He appeared old with a graying beard and eyes that were filled with wisdom and experience.

The five young men entered their battle stances, putting up their guard as the stranger showed himself.

"Who the hell are you?" Mitsuki demanded.

"I am Grandmaster Brusa Li," the stranger introduced himself. "And I am in need your assistance."

"Brusa Li..." Iori rubbed his chin. Why did that name sound so familiar?

"What kind of assistance?" Nagata asked.

"I need you to stop Dai Shi's revival," Brusa Li answered.

"Excuse me?" Hideyoshi questioned, surprised.

Nagata had heard the name from Nanamomo and used the LockPhone to share this information with the rest of the Armored War Gods. He wasn't about to keep such vital information to himself when the Alliance needed to know.

Brusa Li continued, "The princesses of the RinJyuKen have gathered enough Rinki to perform their ritual. With the Seal of Heaven in their hands, they now hold the key to his revival."

"What'll happen if they succeed?" Masataka asked.

"When Dai Shi revives, so ends the existence of all living things in this world. He desires only the death of all things. That is why the five of you must stop them. It is imperative that you do not allow them to succeed."

"If they're going to hold a ritual, they're going to need a ritual site, won't they?" Nagata asked. "Where are they going to be holding it?"

Brusa Li produced the image of the former imperial capital.

"That's Rakuyo," Hideyoshi recognized. He had spent enough time there to recognize it. They all did.

"It is in this place that they will perform the ritual. Hurry, you must go. There is no time to waste."

"Wait, I still have questions!" started Nagata, but the chamber suddenly shattered to pieces and he screamed as he fell into a white void along with his friends.

* * *

Nagata suddenly awoke and sat up in his bed. The dream he had, if it was a dream, could not be ignored. He needed to go to Rakuyo.

Chou'un, who was lying next to him, began to stir from his sudden movements.

"Nagata-sama...?" Chou'un yawned as she woke up. "Is it morning already...?"

"Just go back to sleep, Sei," he softly spoke as he kissed her cheek. "I just got an errand to run."

"OK..." Chou'un turned over to get back to sleep. Nagata got out of bed and got himself dressed before he stepped out of his bedroom.

He met with Iori in the hallway.

"Brusa Li?" Nagata asked.

"So it wasn't a dream then. Then that just means the danger is real," Iori responded.

"I learned that you really shouldn't ignore these kinds of dreams," Nagata stated with a sad frown. "I just never thought I'd be stepping my foot into Rakuyo again."

"I know. It's a terrible reminder. A real tragedy," Iori agreed.

"But we still have to go. It's important that we stop them before it's too late."

"Let's not waste time then, _Seiryuoh-sama._ "

"Iori, come on. I get enough of that from the villagers. Not you too."

Iori chuckled and shrugged as they headed out. If the others believed the dream, then the two of them would be meeting the rest of their comrades at Rakuyo.

* * *

Mitsuki was already dressed. His gut was telling him that his dream was no mere dream. Even his Zhuqiao Lockseed agreed with him. It may still be the middle of the night, but duty called, and he needed to be there.

He glanced over to the bed where Kakoton and Kakoen lay asleep before he stepped out of his room.

"Rakuyo..." Mitsuki whispered as his expression hardened. The tragedy would always be in his memory. The way Chojo cruelly killed all the people in the city to cover her escape disgusted him.

Bujin Gaim had also left his mark as he killed the guards before he took the throne.

Now, it would appear that another tragedy was about to take place there.

Mitsuki didn't normally believe in superstition, but he was starting to believe that Rakuyo was simply cursed.

* * *

"Must you go?" Totaku asked. She had awoken when Hideyoshi woke up and was sitting on their bed as he got ready to head out.

"It's an emergency, Yue-hime," he told her as he put on his glasses.

"At least take Kenshin with you," she implored.

"There's no time," he declined.

Totaku could see that there was nothing she could say to change his mind. He was adamant with his decision. At the very least, she could support him even though she was worried about the outcome.

"Alright. Just...be careful, please?"

Hideyoshi strapped on his SengokuDriver and gave his girlfriend a comforting smile. "You know I will. Besides, I won't be facing this alone. Now, you should go back to sleep. I'll be back before morning."

Totaku watched him exit their room with a concerned expression. She didn't think she would be able to go to sleep with how worried she felt. She clasped her hands together and prayed for his safe return.

* * *

Masataka had been sleeping in his office when he suddenly woke up from the strange dream. He looked at the Baihu Lockseed that was on his desk before he picked it up. Narrowing his eyes at the object, he got up from his chair and headed out.

"Zangetsu-sama, where are you going?" Shuutai asked.

Ah, yes. Shuutai, his loyal bodyguard, and constant shadow. How could he have forgotten about her?

"I'm heading out for a bit," he told her.

"But it's late," she reminded.

"I know, but I have to go," he insisted. Masataka could have told her something was up in Rakuyo, but he felt that he only had so little time to spare.

"Allow me to come with you then," she offered.

"No, you should remain here," he ordered.

"But Zangetsu-sama-!" Shuutai began to object.

"Minmei." Masataka cut her off, using her real name. He spoke in a hard tone that left her with no room to argue. They locked eyes, and Shuutai realized that this was something important. This was something Masataka needed to do and she couldn't stop him.

She couldn't come with him either as she would hold him back.

"Be careful," Shuutai bid the man she loved and admired.

"Don't worry. I won't be alone," Masataka replied, giving her a gentle pat on the head to soothe her worries. ' _Hopefully, the others will be there. I could use the backup_.'

* * *

It was still dark out when Gaim (Orange Arms) and Ryugen (Budou Arms) sped out of Helheim Forest on their Lockvehicles. They pulled their bikes over and slowed to a stop.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" Ryugen asked as they stood in front of Rakuyo.

"...Yeah," Gaim replied as he stared at the wall. It brought back memories, but not the good kind.

"Are you OK?" Ryugen inquired, concerned.

"Oh, yeah. Totally," Gaim assured him, trying to bluff.

"You sure? If you're not up to this because..."

"Look, I'm OK. It's just...it's just that I never thought I'd be stepping my foot in here since..."

"I know it's not easy for any of us to be here," Ryugen interjected. "But we got a job to do."

"Yeah," Gaim agreed. "Let's just get this over with and call it a night."

"Look who finally showed up," Baron (Banana Arms) remarked as he walked over. "Oda."

"Akechi," Gaim returned. He noticed that Zangetsu (Melon Arms) and Gridon (Donguri Arms) were present as well. "If you guys are all here, then that means it wasn't a dream after all."

"That does seem to be the case," agreed Zangetsu.

"So how come none of you have gone in to check things out yet?" Ryugen asked as he approached the gate.

"Wait, I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Gridon warned as Ryugen neared the gate. Suddenly, an invisible force violently repelled the Demon Dragon. "Told you so!"

"Iori!" Gaim rushed over to his friend to help him up. "You OK?"

"What hit me?" Ryugen groaned as he held his head.

" _That's_ why none of us has gone in yet," Baron pointed out.

"A force field has been erected around the entire city. We can't get in, and we tried everything to break it," Zangetsu added.

"Are you sure you tried _everything_?" Ryugen wondered.

* * *

 _ **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[COME ON! XUANWU SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[SOIYA! BAIHU SPARKING!]**_

 _All three of them hit the barrier with their strongest attacks._

 _And nothing happened._

 _They didn't even manage to crack it._

" _OK, one of us has to be holding back," Baron said as he looked suspiciously at Gridon. "Was it you?"_

" _I was hitting it as hard as you did," Gridon retorted defensively._

" _Are you sure you gave it all you got?" Zangetsu asked._

" _YES!" Gridon insisted._

" _Didn't seem like it," accused Baron._

" _You both suck, you know that?" Gridon shot back at the two of them._

" _Let's try this again," urged Zangetsu._

" _Fine..." Gridon sighed._

 _ **[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[COME ON! XUANWU SPARKING!]**_

 _ **[SOIYA! BAIHU SPARKING!]**_

" _Alright, no more holding back this time!" Baron declared._

* * *

"I'm pretty sure we did," stated Zangetsu as he recalled their previous attempts.

"How many times did you try to break it down?" Ryugen asked curiously.

"A few times. By the time you both got here, these two were considering using me as a battering ram," Gridon half-jokingly answered as he pointed at Zangetsu and Baron. "But now that you're both here, maybe we'll have enough manpower to break this thing down."

Gaim inspected the force field. It was invisible, but it was there. He could sense it. It was in their way and needed to be brought down.

"Maybe we don't have to attack it to break it," Gaim considered.

Gaim's chest shone, and he held his hand over it. The Ryujin Key popped out and landed in his palm. Baron and Zangetsu looked curiously at the phenomena, the former mentally shelving what he saw for later while the latter was more analytical.

"What are you going to do with _that_?" Gridon asked as Gaim approached the force field with the Ryujin Key.

Gaim's only answer was to hold the Ryujin Key up to the force field. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen until the Ryujin Key glowed and formed a blade of radiant light. As the blade made contact, the force field, in the form of a purple dome, became visible to them. It then flickered before it shattered like glass, the fragments disintegrating before they even touched the ground.

"Whoa..." Gridon gawked as the blade of light from Gaim's Ryujin Key faded away. "Wow, it's almost like you got a miniature Keyblade there."

"Are you guys just going to stand there gawking, or are you coming in?" Gaim asked impatiently as he pushed the gate open for them.

They crossed the threshold and immediately froze once they entered.

They were looking at the aftermath of a brutal, bloody massacre.

A battle had taken place here as they saw the broken remains of Dandeliners, Tulip Hoppers and Suika Arms that were scattered all around them. There was rubble everywhere, and some buildings were on fire.

But it was the bodies that truly horrified them, and it looked like they died in bizarre fashions, scattered all over the ground, in various macabre states. Some of the bodies looked to be frozen, and not all were intact. A fraction of them was broken to pieces. Others were pierced by big feathers that hit their vital areas, pinning them to the ground and various standing structures. Some of the men looked like they drowned despite being on dry land.

They could see bodies that had been cut up and sliced into pieces. One was just a torso, missing its limbs and head. Some looked like they got crushed. Their bones had been broken as their limbs were lying at odd angles. Spines appeared to be snapped in half and necks twisted until heads were facing in the opposite direction.

"How horrible," Ryugen observed as he scanned their surroundings.

"What...what happened here...?" Gridon asked, utterly horrified.

Baron scowled while Zangetsu grimaced.

Gaim just looked ill.

After everything they've experienced up until now, they should've been accustomed to such a scene, but nothing could have ever prepared them for this.

Once more Rakuyo had become the site of another tragedy.

Was this place cursed?

"W-we should check for survivors," Gaim suggested.

"I doubt we will find any survivors here," Baron rebuked.

"You don't know that!"

"Don't argue," Zangetsu ordered. "And show some respect, Akechi-kun."

"Don't tell me what to do," Baron shot back.

"And Oda-kun, calm down."

Gaim didn't reply and went to look for any survivors.

Baron frowned as he scanned the bodies. When he found one that seemed to be showing life signs, he went to inspect. It was a young guard and he was gravely wounded. He was bleeding from his stomach which had been slashed open.

"Over here. We got a live one," Baron called the others over.

"You...came..." the guard weakly spoke as he saw the Armored War Gods gather around him. "Thank...the Heavens."

"Don't worry, you're going to be alright," Gaim reassured.

"What happened?" Ryugen questioned.

"There were...there were five of them...all women..." The guard coughed blood in mid-sentence. "They were so fast...nobody saw them coming until...until it was too late..." He coughed up more blood.

"Just relax and rest now. We're going to take good care of you," said Gaim gently.

The guard nodded and closed his eyes to rest.

"Gridon, get over here and heal him now!" Baron ordered urgently.

"Right away!" Gridon took out his Xuanwu Lockseed. He was ready to unlock it to access his healing powers. When he saw that the guard's eyes were closed, he lowered his arm.

"What are you doing!? Hurry up and heal him!" Gaim yelled.

Gridon shook his head.

"I can't."

"What?" Gaim exhaled.

"It's too late. I'm sorry."

Zangetsu checked the guard for a pulse and found none. He shook his head as he confirmed that the guard had passed away.

"Oda-kun, Hideyoshi-kun's right. He's gone."

"No, that can't be true! Hideyoshi, you can still save him! Just use your powers!"

"My powers can heal, but they can't bring back the dead."

"Bu-but, he was alive just now!"

"Nagata, he's gone. He hung on long enough, waiting for help. Once he saw us, he just passed away," Ryugen concluded.

"You gotta admire that sort of willpower," said Baron respectfully.

Gaim looked around at all the dead. There was nobody left to save. They had come too late to save anybody.

"We should've been here. If we had been here sooner, we could've stopped _this_ ," Gaim said as he balled his fists. He was no stranger to war, but this was just too much. He looked at the bodies and hung his head with his eyes shut and his jaws clenched as he was filled with regret. It was a horrific sight to behold, and he pitied those who had to suffer such horror as they were dying. He then understood why they were desperately needed in Rakuyo.

"None of us could've known this would happen," stated Zangetsu. After all, Rakuyo was abandoned, and there was no reason for their enemies to target it. At least, that was what they initially believed.

"We should've, though. We should've been prepared for something like this. Now, look what's happened. All these men died, and we couldn't save them," Gaim retorted.

"No use crying over spilled milk, Oda," Baron stated stoically. He didn't mean to sound unsympathetic or cruel. He just didn't see the use of grieving when they had a job to do.

Gaim silently contemplated Baron's words. There was no point of regretting something they couldn't change or fix. Just thinking about the what-ifs wasn't helping. At least he could think about what he could do for the people who had died here tonight. They deserved a proper burial.

Ryugen started to examine the body. "Hm..." He seemed to notice something concerning the wounds. "That's interesting..."

"What is it, Iori?" Gaim asked.

"I can tell that the wounds are fresh so this happened only recently," Ryugen informed, based on his experience in hunting.

"So they must still be here," Gaim concluded.

"The barrier sure implies that," Ryugen agreed.

"Maybe they still haven't completed the ritual. We can still stop them," said Gaim.

"Then we best hurry and find them before it's too late," Zangetsu urged them.

"But where could they be?" Gridon questioned.

* * *

The Femme Fatales assembled in the throne room. They all wore serious and determined expressions as preparations were now complete. The Seal of Heaven which Braco had stolen was now in their possession, just as planned. It took several attempts, but now that all four Sovereigns had awakened, it was time to awaken their master from his eternal slumber.

" **The Seal of Heaven** and **The Crucial Keys to the Way of Peace** ," Shirokumahime spoke as she presented the items to her fellow Femme Fatales. "Now that we've acquired all that we need, we can finally begin the ritual."

"The barrier has fallen," Shachihime informed her sisters. That meant the Armored War Gods had come to stop them.

"Then let us not waste time," Shirokumahime instructed as she placed the Seal of Heaven upon the coffin.

Assuming their true Beastman forms, Takahime, Hyohime, Shachihime and Hebihime knelt around Dai Shi's coffin as Shirokumahime joined them. She opened the Crucial Keys and began the chant. Her sisters repeated each line of the chant after her.

Their bodies began to radiate with pure Rinki which flowed towards the Seal of Heaven. The Eyes of the Seal of Heaven glowed as the malevolent energy spread from it to envelop the coffin.

Lanterns lit up with purple flames as the dark energy enveloped the entire coffin. Cracks leaking with purple light began to spread all over the coffin, and the Femme Fatales continued to feed their energy into the ritual as they shouted as one.

" _ **FORBIDDEN RINGI! UNHOLY REBIRTH!"**_

* * *

"Hey, do you guys feel that?" Gridon questioned as he felt something eerie touch his senses.

"Feel _what_?" Ryugen asked.

Gaim focused his senses, and he indeed felt something.

"Wait, what is _that_?" Gaim wondered.

The answer came when they saw a pillar of dark energy shooting towards the sky. The sky darkened as purple-tinted black clouds gathered towards the pillar, spiraling around it.

"The palace is over there," Gridon pointed.

"Looks like we just found them," Zangetsu observed.

"Then that's where we're going!" Baron shouted as he ran ahead with the others following. Hopefully, they weren't too late.

As they rushed towards the palace, Gridon noticed something happening around them.

"Uh, guys? Something freaky is going on!" Gridon called for their attention.

The bodies around them were getting back up.

"They're alive!?" Gaim exclaimed as he saw them, but something was wrong. Their complexion was deathly pale, they didn't seem bothered by their wounds, their eyes looked glassy, and they were groaning.

They looked like...

"Z-z-z- _ZOMBIES!_ " Gridon panicked as the horde crowded around them. It was like he was in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. He always hated zombie movies. They always scared the crap out of him but Kenshin kept insisting he watched them in order to be prepared for a real zombie apocalypse.

He used to laugh at such a notion, but he wasn't laughing now.

"They're coming right at us!" Gridon cried in fright as the zombies advanced on them.

"And they have us surrounded!" Gaim added as the zombies blocked their path. They needed to get to the palace, but these zombies stood in their way.

"Looks like we don't have a choice here!" Zangetsu called.

"Take them down!" Baron ordered.

Ryugen fired at the advancing zombies, his rounds blowing their skulls and brains apart.

"Get away from me, you undead freaks!" Gridon screamed as he bashed their skulls in. He aimed for skull-crushing blows with his Donkachi while Baron smashed them mercilessly with the Banaspear.

Zangetsu flung his Melon Defender and the sharpened edges sliced off the zombie's heads. The shield returned to him and he charged at the horde, bashing and slashing them.

It seemed the group knew how to take down zombies by aiming for the head. Without their heads, the zombies would drop like puppets with their strings cut off.

Gaim stared at the horde of zombies and made his decision.

"Let me send you to the afterlife peacefully," he said softly.

 **[SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH!]**

"Sei-ha!" Gaim swung his swords, sending a decapitating wave of orange energy slices flying at the zombies.

"Nagata, get to the palace!" Ryugen shouted as he shot dead a couple of zombies. "We'll handle things here!"

"Hurry up, Oda!" Baron furiously added as he smashed his Banaspear violently into a zombie, splattering it across the ground.

Gaim gazed up at the palace and the pillar of dark energy.

 **[KACHIDOKI!] [RYUJIN!]**

The zombies converged on Gaim as he switched Lockseeds. They were about to grab him as he twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[LOCK OPEN! RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

The zombies around Gaim disintegrated as they stood too close to him during his transformation. He then shot towards the sky like a bolt of lightning before heading towards the palace.

Ryujin Gaim arrived at the palace doors in the blink of an eye. Once he landed, he sensed the dark energy up ahead in the throne room. He ran into the palace and arrived in front of the throne room instantaneously.

The large double door that sealed the throne room stood in his way, but they wouldn't stop him. As he neared the doors, he saw purple light peeking through the cracks. He put his hands against the double door and shoved them forward, only to be flung back by a sudden blast of energy. It knocked him unconscious as his armor vanished.

* * *

After dealing with the zombies outside, the others finally reached the palace. The pillar of darkness had vanished.

Did that mean Gaim was able to stop the Femme Fatales from completing the ritual?

"OK...OK...we're here...Damn, I hate those stairs," Hideyoshi gasped for breath, with his hands on his knees, his face red and sweaty with exertion, not just from fighting the zombies but from running up the stairs. Climbing the stairs up to the palace was never his favorite thing to do.

There were just too many damn steps.

"You really need to get into better shape," Iori commented on Hideyoshi's condition. "Maybe do some sports or go jogging."

Hideyoshi glared back and snapped, " _Don't_...start that with me. I get...enough of that shit...from Kenshin and Miyabi."

They headed inside and Iori spotted Nagata lying unconscious in front of the open entrance of the throne room. Both halves of the throne room's double door lay shattered around him.

"Nagata!" Iori ran over to his friend and knelt down beside him. "Hey, Nagata! Nagata!" He tried to shake his friend awake.

Nagata groaned as he woke up, holding his sore head.

"Ugh...what hit me?"

"Come on." Iori helped Nagata up as he stumbled a bit on his feet. "Feeling dizzy?"

"Just a bit, but it's fading," Nagata answered.

"What happened here, Oda-kun?" Masataka asked.

"I got here to try and stop them, but something knocked me out," Nagata answered.

"Did you see anything?" Hideyoshi asked.

"There was a bright flash. It must've knocked me out."

"Did some damage here too," said Mitsuki as he saw the doors lying in pieces.

"Let's see what happened in here," Masataka suggested.

They entered the throne room, the dim lighting provided by the surviving lanterns revealing the place to be completely abandoned.

There were no signs of the Femme Fatales.

They did find five piles of dust and broken stone fragments scattered in the center of the room. Strangely enough, the dust piles were lying in a five-pointed formation around the stone fragments.

Masataka went and picked up one of the broken fragments and then another. He pieced them together like a puzzle.

"We were too late," Nagata realized in defeat. "They did it. They revived Dai Shi."

"We don't know that for sure. It's possible that their plan failed," Hideyoshi said, trying to be optimistic.

"Or they succeeded, and we just arrived in the aftermath," Masataka countered.

"So all we know is that we don't know what exactly happened here," Mitsuki frowned.

"So, what are we supposed to do now?" Iori asked.

"Leave. There's nothing more we can do here," Masataka answered.

"But what about all the bodies outside?" Nagata asked.

"We'll send people over to pick them up and do the cleanup."

"They'll be in for quite a shock. Let's just not mention we caused any of the postmortem damage," Hideyoshi remarked.

"They were _zombies_. We didn't have much of a choice there," retorted Mitsuki.

"Kenshin would probably ask me for details if he found out about this. He's a big fan of zombie killing games." Hideyoshi paused for a moment. "Hey, is anyone worried about how we've started to become desensitized to violence?"

Nobody answered.

The group headed for the exit, but Iori lingered for a moment to look at the piles of dust. Was that just residue from the ritual, or something else?

"Iori, come on! Let's get out of here!" Nagata called. He didn't want to spend a moment longer in Rakuyo, especially as there was nothing more they could do here.

"Coming!" answered Iori before he followed the rest outside. He glanced back at the throne room briefly before leaving with the others.

Once they were gone, Duke reappeared as he undid his cloaking. Such a remarkable ability his armor gave him. It hid him from sight, and he also had the ability to hide his presence. As he scanned the throne room, he smirked.

"If only they knew what really happened here," Duke mused before he vanished like a ghost.

* * *

 **KRC:** OK, so this chapter initially had an entirely different plot. I was thinking the Femme Fatales decide to call out the Armored War Gods to settle things and prove who is the best right here and now. However, a new idea came around. They got the Seal of Heaven! So why not use it to revive Dai Shi? Now, why did they choose Rakuyo? Well, that will be explained soon. So, did the Femme Fatales succeed? Were the Armored War Gods too late? Does Dai Shi walk among them? The answer to those questions...will have to wait for now as the story progressed to its full climax. All will be revealed real soon until the time is right.

I added zombies as a side-effect of the ritual. It's the energy that was released. It can reanimate the dead, but they're just mindless, undead monsters now. Nothing like the people they used to be. So, they had to be put down. Unlike Rinshi, they don't have any intelligence or martial arts. All they can rely on is numbers and being relentless.

 **TFP:** It seems the Femme Fatales are making their endgame. Ukitsu seems to be seeing it as all according to plan. Just who was this person that the Femme Fatales had managed to revive? What is their main goal for the ongoing war between the Armored War Gods and their various enemies? Tune in next time to find out real soon.

 **BL92:** Oh no! The Armored War Gods are too late to stop the Femme Fatales from reviving their evil master Dai Shi! It looks like the real battle is about to begin with new trials and perils as the Armored War Gods will have to face the Dark Lord and Master of the RinJyuKen himself real soon. But I am confident that the Armored War Gods will make Dai Shi go away and save the day as usual. Also, it's ashamed that the AWG didn't get the chance to fight the Femme Fatales. And for some reason, I'm gonna miss those hot girls. Even if they are the Big Boss of the RinJyuKen. To be honest, they are major hotties that guys would love to date them even if they are bad girls.

* * *

Assuming their true Beastman forms, Takahime, Hyohime, Shachihime and Hebihime knelt around Dai Shi's coffin as Shirokumahime joined them. She opened the Crucial Keys and began the chant. Her sisters repeated each line of the chant after her.

Their bodies began to radiate with pure Rinki which flowed towards the Seal of Heaven. The Eyes of the Seal of Heaven glowed as the malevolent energy spread from it to envelop the coffin.

Lanterns lit up with purple flames as the dark energy enveloped the entire coffin. Cracks leaking with purple light began to spread all over the coffin, and the Femme Fatales continued to feed their energy into the ritual as they shouted as one.

" _ **FORBIDDEN RINGI! UNHOLY REBIRTH!"**_

The coffin exploded but the Femme Fatales stood their ground. When the dust settled, a figure stood in the middle of the chamber. He was clad in a cloak that covered his features with a hood concealing his face. The Seal of Heaven floated over to him and rested upon his palm and the Crucial Keys to the Way of Peace found itself in his other hand.

Dai Shi looked upon the Femme Fatales. They were still kneeling around his coffin. He approached Shirokumahime and reached out to caress her face. As soon as the tips of his fingers made contact, her entire body crumbled into a pile of dust. He witnessed as the other Femme Fatales met with the same fate.

The Seal of Heaven and Crucial Keys were indeed needed to revive him, but there was one last thing that his revival required. It required a willing sacrifice. The Femme Fatales had willingly given all their power and life force to Dai Shi in order to bring him back.

With their life force, Dai Shi also acquired their memories and knew what they had been up to and what had been going on.

"Armored War Gods, huh? How amusing."

Dai Shi spotted someone lying near the entrance and walked up to him.

It was Nagata. He got knocked out by the dark energy released during the ritual. Kneeling down, Dai Shi took a moment to study Nagata. His eyes went down to Nagata's waist where he found the SengokuDriver. It wasn't just the belt that piqued his curiosity, but also the Ryujin Key that was connected to the Kachidoki Lockseed.

Dai Shi sensed the power from the Ryujin Key and recognized it.

"So, this is the form the power of the Azure Dragon has taken. How interesting."

Dai Shi heard footsteps and knew others were coming. He snapped his fingers and opened up a dark shadow portal. He glanced at Nagata one last time before entering the portal. The portal vanished as soon as he stepped through it.

It was moments later when the other Armored War Gods finally arrived, only to discover that they were too late.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #15A: KILLER PORRIDGE**

Nagata was ill in bed.

As he rested, there was a knock on the door.

"That's probably Shuri with the medicine. You can come in!"

Kanu came into the room with a bowl in her hands.

"Aisha..."

"Nagata-sama, since you're ill, I decided to make you something to help you feel better."

Warning bells rang in Nagata's head as he mentally screamed, ' _NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ '

"Really?" he asked with a forced smile. "What did you make?"

"Porridge," Kanu said as she showed him what was inside the bowl.

"Porridge, huh?" he asked as he studied her 'porridge'.

The warning bells rang louder as he mentally yelled, ' _AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!_ '

' _OK, porridge is not supposed to be that color. It's not supposed to be bubbling like that when it's not being cooked. And is that a fish eye in there?_ '

"Um..." Nagata shied away. "Actually, I'm not hungry. Really. I just don't have an appetite right now."

"Nonsense, you'll need to eat in order to get your strength back," Kanu said as she scooped up the porridge with a spoon. "Now, open wide."

Nagata was trapped. He was too weak to protest or escape his fate.

Also, he would be hurting Kanu's feelings if he rejected her porridge.

So, he relented and surrendered himself to his fate.

He opened his mouth and let Kanu feed him.

And a second later his eyes went XX as his skin went pale as a ghost and his tongue hung limply out of his mouth.

"Nagata-sama! Kanu cried as she shook him back and forth. "Don't die! Please, hang on! Don't die!"

His spirit was slowly slipping right out of his mouth.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #15B: SHURI'S NOVEL**

"Here are the new documents you need to look at, Nagata-sama," Komei said as she delivered another stack of papers.

"Thank you, Shuri," Nagata replied with a sigh. She bowed and left to return to her room.

Komei sat down at her table.

"Alright, now where was I?"

Komei picked up a sheet of paper and cocked an eyebrow at what she read.

"Wait, this isn't the latest page I wrote..."

"Um, Shuri."

Komei looked up to see Nagata carrying several sheets of paper. He was blushing awkwardly.

"Yes, Nagata-sama?"

"These pages got mixed in with the documents you handed to me."

Komei's eyes widened as she snatched the papers from his hand and saw that they were pages from the book she was writing. Her face lit up as she blushed deeply.

"Hawawawawa! Did you read these, Nagata-sama!?"

"...Couldn't help it, sorry."

Komei could only cover her face in embarrassment. Nagata had just read pages of her new book, a romance novel depicting herself and him together...and the pages described a _very steamy_ love scene.

"If it makes you feel better, it was good."

That did not make her feel better.


	24. R&R

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

Nagata found himself standing in an empty black space. He didn't know how he got here but he knew that he didn't want to remain here any longer.

The darkness and the loneliness were just unnerving, and he didn't want to experience it any longer. It felt so cold and frightening, causing him to panic.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Nagata called out.

Nagata soon found that he wasn't alone anymore. In fact, there was another presence. Standing a distance away with its back facing him was a figure shrouded in darkness and mystery.

"Who are you?" Nagata asked as he approached but the dark figure kept its distance. Nagata chased after it, but it continued to retreat from him. "Hey, come back here! I just want to talk to you!"

As Nagata started to give chase, the Seal of Heaven suddenly descended from the sky and fell into the hand of the dark figure. The dark figure finally stopped running and turned to face Nagata. The dark figure had no features. It was just a dark humanoid shape like a shadow.

As Nagata continued to stare at the figure, it revealed a pair of golden eyes that stared right back at him.

All of a sudden, the Seal of Heaven released a blinding flash of bright golden light, prompting Nagata to shield his eyes. However, while he shielded his eyes, he saw vivid visions.

Vivid, terrible visions.

He saw a huge pool of blood with Rakuyo burning in the center of it.

He gazed in horror as the terrible dancing flames consumed the city and everything inside.

The walls and buildings crumbled as the city sunk into the pool of blood.

Smoke arose from the burning city, taking the shape of tortured souls as they begged for help.

And thousands of horrendous tortured screams broke the silence.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 16: Reprieve & Respite**

* * *

Nagata woke up with a start and bolt upright from his bed. He gasped, with his skin drenched in sweat. As his heart pounded in his chest, he took deep breaths as he ran his hand through his hair. His bangs were matted to his forehead which was soaked in cold sweat. In fact, his entire body was covered in a layer of perspiration.

"Damn it, not again..." he cursed quietly before he sighed as the shock passed.

It was no use.

He was still having nightmares.

This was a nightmare he had before, one which he had since the Fall of Rakuyo. It was because he could never forget the tragic fire that took so many innocent lives.

The nightmares about Rakuyo stopped after he accepted what happened and moved on. But after what happened the last time he went there with the others, the nightmares came back.

The nightmares about Rakuyo weren't the only ones he had. Sometimes he would have nightmares about Bujin Gaim.

He had some really bad ones since he regained his body. Bujin Gaim had committed terrible deeds and Nagata wasn't sure if he could get over the time he experienced as the demon's host. Whatever Bujin Gaim had done while possessing him still stuck in his mind and he had to relive every moment in his nightmares.

And sometimes, both nightmares blended together and those were the really bad ones.

They were really starting to mess him up.

"Wake up, Nagata-sama! It's time to get up!" Kanu called as she opened the door.

"Morning, Aisha..." Nagata greeted softly.

"Morning already...?" Ryuubi yawned as she woke up next to Nagata. Clad in only her birthday suit, she looked at Nagata and smiled. "Good morning, Nagata-sama..." She wrapped her arms around him.

"Ah, Touka!?" Nagata cried.

"Why so surprised, Nagata-sama? Have you forgotten our night together?" cooed Ryuubi.

Kanu sighed.

"It appears I was interrupting. I'll leave you both to your privacy."

She was about to close the door when Ryuubi called to her.

"There's no need to leave, Aisha. You can join us too if you'd like."

Ryuubi was very open to the idea of sharing Nagata with her sister. Kanu considered it for a moment but decided to decline.

"Some other time, Aneue. I have duties to perform, as do _you_. So, please finish up and get ready for the day."

With that said, Kanu left the two alone, closing the door to give them privacy.

"She really is missing out on something good," Ryuubi said as she snuggled up to her lover.

Even after all this time, Nagata was still trying to get used to the idea of having a harem and a different bedmate each night.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Nagata regained his body.

Two weeks ago, they fought Bujin Gaim and he ended up possessing Nagata. It took the united effort of the Armored War Gods, Armored War Devils and the Shoku Warriors to capture and contain Bujin Gaim.

However, once they succeeded and managed to capture Bujin Gaim, Ukitsu planned on double-crossing the heroes so he could take control of Bujin Gaim and gain a powerful ally/weapon. Fortunately, his plan failed as he was caught red-handed by Kada before he could apply the control talisman. Realizing his plan was a failure, Ukitsu took off with Shishi.

Finally, Bujin Gaim was exorcised when Ryuubi managed to get through to Nagata and together they defeated the demon and vanquished him for good.

The memories of Bujin Gaim's deeds would always haunt Nagata, but he couldn't let those memories stop him from living and working to do what was right. He couldn't break down since everyone looked up to him. Fortunately, he had the support of his vassals. If he were to fall, they would be at his side to help him back up.

In the past two weeks, Nagata watched as the village recovered from another major battle. According to his officers, when the Kaijin invaded, they had taken them by surprise. The creatures had just appeared without warning.

Fortunately, Ryuubi managed to lead everyone to defend the villagers and successfully drove the monsters away.

A single Kaijin was hard enough to deal with, but an army of Kaijin would've been too much, even when Ryuubi, Kanu, and Chouhi had power-augmenting armor. It was a good thing that the Kaijin were simply reproductions Bujin Gaim created from Nagata's memories. He was able to duplicate their appearances, but not their overwhelming power.

And that all happened while he was trying to get his body back. Bujin Gaim had planned to conquer the land using his Kaijin army but still failed. That didn't mean that the village didn't suffer any damage. While they were pale imitations, the Kaijin were still deadly and destructive as a lot of people were hurt by them.

Nagata was just glad that those monsters were gone so everyone could focus on recovering. Most of the repairs to the buildings were finished, but cleanup was a bit tricky.

* * *

Nagata sat in his office. Stacks of paperwork remain undone, but his mind was elsewhere.

All he could think about were Nanamomo's last words:

" _There is a traitor among you_."

Nagata didn't want to believe it but he could not dismiss it either. There was a possibility that she was trying to plant the seeds of doubt and paranoia, but she sounded so sincere in her last moments.

And Nanamomo had even sacrificed herself in order to save them from Bujin Gaim, even if it had been in vain. Someone who was willing to give up their life could not have been lying. She had to have been sincere about the warning.

If what she said was true, then they had a spy in their midst. However, he still didn't want to believe one of them was a traitor.

He wasn't sure what to believe.

He had never felt so much doubt in his life.

But if there was a traitor hiding among them, who could it be?

Right now everyone was a suspect. It could be anyone, and Nagata did not want to suspect any of his friends. There was just no way any of them could be the spy, right? It couldn't be possible.

Thinking about all this was giving him a headache. He needed to talk to someone about this, but who could he trust with such sensitive information? If he told everyone, they would start suspecting each other, and the real spy could make plans to frame someone else. Keeping it to himself was out of the question too. It would just drive him mad.

He needed to tell someone, and he knew exactly who he could trust with this info.

And he knew just the person he could confide in.

* * *

Komei slammed another book shut and let out a cry of frustration.

"Nothing here either!"

Hoto gently rubbed her back.

"It's alright, Shuri."

"No, it's not, Hinari! I've spent two weeks trying to look up any information on Dai Shi, and I haven't found even a mention of him in any books or scrolls!"

"I know, I've been helping you," Hoto reminded. "And so has Suikyo-sensei."

"And I appreciate it. But not even the books Suikyo-sensei brought with her were of any help!"

"How about we take a break? Let's just tidy up here and then relax over some tea," Hoto suggested calmly.

Komei sighed as she nodded in agreement.

"Yes, tea sounds nice."

The door of the library opened, and Nagata entered.

"Shuri, are you busy? Oh, hey Hoto."

"Gaim-sama," Hoto bowed.

"Nagata-sama, did you wish to see me?" Komei asked.

"Yeah, I kinda do," he replied. "Shuri, do you mind if we spoke someplace private?"

Komei blushed.

"Private?"

"Yes, _private_. There's something I need to speak with you, and you alone."

"Yes! I mean, yes, of course."

* * *

Nagata took Komei into Helheim Forest to speak to her privately. It was the least likely of places where someone could eavesdrop on them. Once the Sakura Hurricane came to a stop, both Komei and Nagata dismounted.

"So, this is the Helheim Forest. It's beautiful," Komei said as she was marveled at the eerie, foggy forest, truly fascinated by the otherworldly realm. Ever since she heard about it, she wanted to see it for herself.

"Don't let it fool you. Remember, everything here can also kill you," Nagata warned.

Komei took his warning seriously. The fruit might seem delicious, but one bite could turn her into an Inves, which was a fate worse than death. Also, the Inves were protective of their main food source and would attack anyone trying to steal it from them. Komei could already see a few Elementary Inves watching them, but they kept their distance. Nagata kept his guard up, wearing his SengokuDriver just in case they attacked.

"Nagata-sama, why did you need to speak with me _here_?" she asked.

What Nagata was about to tell her was of the utmost importance. He couldn't risk the information leaking for security reasons and needed someone he could trust.

"I have reason to believe that there is a traitor among us," he told her clearly, causing her to gasp.

"A traitor? Are you sure?" Komei asked.

"Nanamomo told me with her last breath," he confirmed.

"Then we should go and warn the others," she urged.

"We can't," Nagata objected. "If we do, we may alert the traitor hiding among us. The fewer people who know, the better."

"Are you saying we can't trust anyone else?" Komei asked, shocked.

"Rinrin will most likely accidentally blurt it out. As for the others...I don't want to believe there's a traitor hiding among us..," Nagata said, ashamed that he couldn't trust the others with this information. "But what if it's true? We can't risk the traitor catching wind of this."

"Then we may need to be careful, Nagata-sama," Komei suggested. "At this point, it could be anyone."

"Right, so this stays between us," Nagata ordered.

"I'll try to investigate the matter with the utmost secrecy," she swore.

"I'd rather you not. We don't want to arouse suspicion, and if you get caught I'm worried about what might happen to you," Nagata replied.

Komei blushed as Nagata showed so much concern for her. It was touching to know he cared so much for her.

"Now, come on. We've spent enough time here already," said Nagata as he felt the hungry gazes of the Inves intensify.

As the two rode out of the forest via a Helheim portal, Jam stepped out from behind a tree. She had heard everything and her eyes narrowed behind her visor. Once Nagata and Komei exited the forest, Jam also vanished as she dissolved into a swarm and flew away.

* * *

Nagata went out grocery shopping with Chouhi, Ryuubi, and Kanu. Besides cooking, grocery shopping was an activity that allowed Nagata to enjoy a bit of normalcy in his life. While he had adapted well to this world and time period, there were just some things he couldn't do without.

The only downside was that he needed to get to the market early. They didn't have refrigerators here so he needed to get ingredients fresh off the chopping block.

Yes, the butcher's chopping block.

"Here you go, Seiryuoh-sama," the butcher said as he filled up the bag with the cuts of meat Nagata wanted. "And it's half price just for you."

"You know I'm happy enough to pay full price," Nagata retorted with a frown.

"With all due respect, Seiryuoh-sama, with all the hard work you do for us, you deserve to treat yourself," the butcher justified.

"OK, but don't keep giving out discounts. You got a family to feed too," said Nagata as he paid the butcher. "Which reminds me, how's your wife doing?"

"Oh, she's fine, thanks for asking. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl," the butcher smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that. I hope she stays healthy," Nagata said.

"I'm honored by your blessing, Seiryuoh-sama," the butcher bowed. Nagata rolled his eyes but didn't correct him. Claiming he wasn't really a god would just have the people claim that he was just being modest. His power as Armored War God Gaim had fully convinced them.

"Have a good day, Nikura-san," Nagata bid the butcher before he was on his way with the others.

"Nagata-niichan, what are you going to make with all that meat?" Chouhi asked.

"Oh, just my special meat stew. It's been a while since I made it," Nagata told his little sister.

"Yummy!"

"I'm glad to see the village recovering well," said Kanu as she looked around.

"So am I," Nagata agreed.

"And everyone looks so happy," added Ryuubi. "But that's to be expected since they have Nagata-sama to always protect them."

When they returned to the castle, they found the guards manhandling a young boy. He looked to be 10 years old and was struggling as he threw a tantrum, yelling at the guards to let him go.

"Lemme go! Lemme go!"

"Hey, stay still!"

"Wait until Gaim-sama comes and sorts you out!"

"Hey, what's going on here?" Nagata asked as he approached the guards with the others in tow.

"Explain yourselves!" Kanu ordered.

"Seiryuoh-sama, General Kanu, we caught this kid putting up disparaging messages all over the wall," a guard said.

"What?" Nagata turned towards the wall and there were posters put up across the wall, and what was on them was anything but good:

" _ **The Armored War Gods are not your saviors!"**_

" _ **How many loved ones have you lost in their name?**_ "

" _ **The Musou Seiryuoh is a monster!"**_

" _ **The Armored War Gods only spread war, not peace!"**_

" _ **Must we die for them!? NO! JUST SAY NO! The Armored War Gods will not decide our fates!**_ "

Nagata was shaken by the messages. The young boy broke free and confronted Nagata. He looked angry. He looked like he loathed Nagata.

"Because of you, my big brother's dead!" the boy spat at Nagata's face, causing him to recoil in shock.

"Hey!" Chouhi snapped as she pushed the boy back. "You can't spit on my Onii-chan! Apologize, now!"

"No! It's his fault! My brother's gone because of him!" the boy snapped as he pointed an accusing finger towards Nagata.

"Alright, you're coming with us!" a guard ordered as he grabbed the kid. "Seiryuoh-sama, what should we do with him?"

"Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked, worried when he failed to respond.

"Nagata-sama, are you OK?" Kanu asked.

Nagata quickly wiped off the spit with his sleeve.

"I'm...I'm fine..." Nagata replied, slightly taken aback by the act. "Just take him home and inform his parents. Take down these posters too."

Nagata stepped through the gate as everyone watched.

"You both should see if he's alright," Kanu instructed her sisters. "I'm going to take care of this."

"Teach him a lesson, Aisha!" Chouhi urged.

"I will," Kanu promised.

"Just don't be too hard on him, OK?" Ryuubi asked gently.

As Ryuubi and Chouhi followed Nagata back to the castle, Kanu looked back at the posters angrily and tore them off the wall before she tore them to pieces. She then caught up to the guards to speak with the boy.

"Excuse me, could I speak with the boy?" Kanu asked.

"Are you sure, General Kanu?"

"He did spit on Seiryuoh-sama."

"Yes he did, and Nagata-sama could have easily called for this child's incarceration, or worse, immediate execution if he had been _anything_ that these detractors spoke of him." The child seemed to pale at Kanu's words. "Allow me to speak with the boy to understand his anger."

The guards shared unreadable looks but eventually complied as they relinquished the child to Kanu, who knelt down to his eye level.

Kanu looked the boy in the eye. He tried to avert her gaze, but she wasn't going to let him get away with what he'd done. He might be a child, but he was old enough to know better than to put up such terrible posters.

"What's your name?" Kanu asked.

"...Shu," the boy answered.

"Shu, you said that Gaim-sama is the reason your brother died. Was your brother a soldier?" Kanu could sympathize with the boy. She had lost her brother too.

Shu nodded.

"He didn't come back," Shu said. "He didn't come back because he fought for _him_."

So Shu blamed Nagata for the death of his brother. Still, she needed to ask him about the posters.

"I understand how you feel. I lost my brother too when I was younger," Kanu confessed. "You miss him, don't you?"

Shu nodded.

"Do you think your brother would be happy that you're doing all this?"

To Kanu's knowledge, none of the soldiers were forced to join. They volunteered because they wanted to do something good and defend their home.

Shu shook his head in response to her question.

"Shu, did you make the posters?" Kanu asked.

Shu shook his head.

"Did someone give them to you?"

Shu nodded.

"Can you tell me who gave them to you?"

"It was a man, a man in white," Shu answered.

Kanu nodded. A man in white. It was likely someone working for Ukitsu, one of those White Clothes that seemed determined to ruin the Armored War Gods' reputation.

"He paid me to put these posters on the wall. He told me it was Gaim-sama's fault that my brother died," said Shu. "I believed him too. If Gaim-sama's so strong, why did my brother have to die?"

"Gaim-sama _is_ strong," confirmed Kanu. "But he's stronger as long as we support him. Your brother believed in Gaim-sama, so he fought for him like I do."

Shu looked ashamed, but he was still angry.

"I still think it's all Gaim-sama's fault that my brother died," Shu insisted.

"I won't ask you to forgive Gaim-sama. I do ask that you honor your brother. Putting up posters like that is no way of honoring your brother," Kanu advised.

Shu was silent as he contemplated her words and nodded.

"Take it easy on him, alright?" Kanu ordered the guards.

"Yes, General Kanu!" the soldiers bowed.

Kanu smiled in satisfaction and went back to the castle check up on Nagata. She didn't need to look far as she found him in the courtyard, sitting on the steps of the castle's main door. Chouhi and Ryuubi were with him, consoling him. From the looks of things, they seemed to be successful.

As she approached, Nagata looked up at her.

"So, what happened?" Nagata asked.

"I spoke with the boy, Nagata-sama. I don't think he'll cause any more trouble from now on," Kanu informed them.

"Aisha, you should've let me punish that little meanie!" Chouhi growled.

"Rinrin, hush," Ryuubi shushed her youngest sister, although the girl in question huffed in slight disappointment.

"Nagata-sama, are you sure you're alright?" Kanu asked her beloved.

"...He blames me for his brother's death," Nagata murmured.

"His brother was one of the soldiers who served you, and he died in battle," Kanu informed him.

"I knew it. It's my fault."

"Nagata-sama, what happened to him was not your fault," Ryuubi spoke soothingly.

"He sure thinks that what happened is my fault. Who knows how many others feel the same way? And did you read those posters?"

As Shoku's Seiryuoh, Nagata considered the matters of his people seriously. Every single soul mattered to him. It automatically became his responsibility to protect the people in his territory and beyond, as he swore to bear the burden for the people of Shoku.

That was why he couldn't refute Shu's accusation. His brother had fought for Nagata and died in his name. Nagata couldn't help but feel guilty for his involvement.

"Nagata-sama, you can't allow something like this to upset you," Kanu advised.

Nagata didn't respond and quietly headed inside.

"Nagata-sama, wait," Ryuubi called. But he ignored her, and the three sisters watched him sadly go back into the castle.

"Should we go after him?" Chouhi asked uncertainly.

"No, we should give him his privacy," Kanu advised. "He needs his space right now."

"Are you sure?" Ryuubi asked.

Kanu didn't answer. She wasn't sure herself.

* * *

Nagata went up to his office and opened up the shrine of his birth parents. He needed to speak with them and contemplate.

"Okaasan, Otousan, if you can both hear me, I wish you were here. Maybe you guys can help me how to deal with this," he said to the memorial tablets that held his parents' names.

When he resolved to walk this path, he thought he only needed to deal with the RinJyuKen and the Armored War Devils. However, including the issue regarding a possible traitor among them, he now had another problem.

Seeing those posters and being spat on like that triggered a fear of rejection within him. He was glad to have met Kanu when he first found himself in this world, or there would be no way of him fitting in. The way people accepted him warmed his heart, but he often feared what would happen if they would suddenly turn on him.

He was afraid of what might happen if all of his loved ones turned their backs on him. What Bujin Gaim did while possessing his body would certainly reflect badly on him, and their enemies would definitely take advantage of what happened to sway public opinion against him. If his friends rejected him, he would be alone in a strange world, and he wouldn't have his family to fall back on for support.

For the first time in a very long time, he began to doubt his place in this world he had chosen to call home.

The door opened.

"I said I wanted to be left alone," Nagata responded.

"Sorry, but I'm not one of your little soldiers to order around," retorted Karasu as she stood in the doorway, with her arms crossed.

"Oh, Kara-chan," he realized. "What's up? Did you need anything?"

"Do I need anything to see my favorite cousin?" she smiled, but her smile soon slipped into a concerned frown as she noticed his forced calmness. "Naga-kun, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied.

"You're a terrible liar," she accused.

"You can always tell, huh?"

"I saw what happened and it makes me question why you still wish to protect such ungrateful people."

"They're not all like that, and the kid was in grief," he defended.

"You didn't kill his brother, so that doesn't excuse such behavior." She offered with a sadistic smile. "Want me to pay him a visit to sort him out?"

"No need," he declined. "Thanks for offering, though."

"You really shouldn't beat yourself up over this. You're not responsible for their deaths. Whether you like it or not, people die, and you can't save everyone."

"I really wish I could, though."

Karasu rolled her eyes before she went over and gave him a warm hug.

"Kara-chan?" Nagata questioned.

"You look like you need a hug," Karasu answered.

"Thanks, Kara-chan. I'm so glad you're here," he said gratefully.

"So am I," she said with a sly smile.

* * *

"I can't believe that happened," Ryuubi said, surprised, as she sat in the garden with her two sisters.

"It truly did upset him," Kanu added.

"Yeah, and what that meanie put up on the wall was mean!" Chouhi chimed in.

"He's angry at Nagata-sama for what happened to his brother," Kanu answered sympathetically. She could understand what that was like.

"But our soldiers join of their own free will. Nagata-sama didn't force them to fight," Ryuubi said.

"No, but Nagata-sama is our leader, so he's responsible for them. We all are since we're their generals too. Even if our soldiers volunteered, their loved ones would still want someone to blame for their deaths. That boy, Shu, is hurting from the loss of his brother so he needed someone to blame as an outlet. That's why he's angry at Nagata-sama. If Nagata-sama could, he would fight without an army. That way he wouldn't have to feel so guilty," Kanu stated.

"But it's not fair to blame Nagata-niichan. He's just trying to help people," claimed Chouhi.

"Some people may not see it that way, Rinrin. Some people may admire power, but there are people who fear it. They've witnessed what the Armored War Gods are capable of, and fear them for it. After all, just one of them could destroy an entire army with a single gesture," Kanu explained.

Ryuubi tapped her chin and smiled as she got an idea.

"I think I know a way to help Nagata."

* * *

The following day. Nagata was in his office, sitting at his desk. Except, he was sitting on the other side. He was usually the one behind the desk, but not this time.

"Nagata-sama, do you know why you're here?" Ryuubi asked as she sat behind his desk.

Nagata, who was sitting across from her, responded, "Because this is _my_ office."

Ryuubi ignored his reply and continued, "We're worried about you, Nagata-sama. You're stressed and you've been having nightmares."

"So you've noticed."

"It's hard not to when we share a bed. The others notice too, how you toss and turn and talk in your sleep. You even say such terrible things."

"I'm fine, Touka."

"No, you're not! Nobody can say they are completely fine after going through what you had!" Ryuubi countered with sympathy.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to worry you."

Ryuubi cut him off, "This isn't something you can just keep to yourself, Nagata-sama. We're here for you. If you need someone to talk to, you can come to us. Even if you just need a hug, we're here to embrace you. You're not alone. You never were."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Nagata-sama, because you desperately need a break, I've decided to relieve you of your duties."

"Relieve me of my duties? Wait, you're _firing_ me?"

Ryuubi couldn't fire Nagata, right?

"No, that's not it. I'm not firing you, Nagata-sama. This will only be temporary."

"Temporary? You mean like a vacation?"

"Exactly, Nagata-sama. You need to go away for a bit to take your mind off all this stress you're having."

"But I can't go on vacation! What if we get attacked?"

"You don't need to worry. You made sure we were ready for any attacks."

Ryuubi reached up to her magatama earring for emphasis.

"But-!"

"Please, Nagata-sama. You _need_ to take a break. You _need_ a vacation. Do this for us, _please_?"

Nagata opened his mouth to argue, but Ryuubi was looking at him with soft and warm eyes. She really cared about him and didn't want to see him suffer. He took a moment to think about what she had said.

She was right. What he experienced was not something he could just get over it, and trying to cope by himself was not working.

"So what do you propose I do?" Nagata asked.

"We are going camping," Ryuubi decided, winking at him.

It took a moment for Nagata to reply after he blinked.

"Camping?"

* * *

"So, are you all packed, Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked as she stood in front of the castle with Nagata.

"Yes," Nagata answered as he pointed to his backpack. "I got everything right there; extra clothes, a bedroll, cooking utensils and my tent."

"That's good. So am I."

"So it's just the two of us then?" Nagata asked.

Ryuubi sighed.

Both Ryuubi and Nagata were fully prepared and were about to go, and the next thing to do before their departure was to bring escorts for their safety.

After all, Ryuubi and Nagata were very important people. They couldn't be allowed to venture alone without guards.

"I really wished it was just the two of us." She pointed over to where Gien and Ryofu stood. "Ren and Enya will be coming with us."

"Anywhere Touka-sama goes, I go," Gien said firmly.

"I am Nagata-sama's bodyguard," Ryofu stated, reaffirming her position. "And bedmate."

Nagata sweatdropped.

"Ren, you really didn't need to add _that_."

"It's the truth."

Nagata cracked a nervous smile. The more the merrier, right? Although, he had a feeling that Ryofu would want to crawl into bed with him.

She enjoyed whatever intimate moments she could share with him.

"Hold it right there!" Karasu suddenly shouted as she approached the group. She saw that they were packed and ready to go somewhere. Intrigued, she wondered where they could be going.

"Ah, Kara-chan," Nagata smiled.

"Where are you all going?" Karasu asked.

"We're going camping."

"Then I'm coming too," Karasu decided. She couldn't miss the chance of being together with her cousin.

Nagata blinked.

"Kara-chan, are you sure you want to go camping with us?"

Karasu gave him a leveled stare.

"Remember that camping trip we went on with Aunt Yang when we were twelve?"

Nagata's eyes widened as he went ghostly pale. He remembered. They ended up camping in Aokigahara, aka the Sea of Trees, aka the Suicide Forest.

"Aokigahara...never again...never again..." Nagata trembled as he shook his head in terror at the memory.

Oh, the things he'd seen and wished he could unsee.

Karasu put her arms around him and gently rubbed his head.

"Shh...It's OK. The ghosts aren't going to get you. I'll chase them all away."

"Aokigahara?" Ryuubi asked.

"Bad camping experience in a forest known for all the suicides that took place in it. One of the most haunted places in our home," explained Karasu. "We went on a camping trip with Naga-kun's mother and ended up camping out in the woods. We left after two days because of... _reasons_."

"Uh-huh," Ryuubi nodded. It sounded like a long story, one they didn't have time to listen to. She beamed as she held up a map. "Anyway, I just found a good place for us to go camping! And we won't need horses to get there!"

"I'm still not sure we should go camping. I mean what if something happens while we're gone?" Nagata asked worriedly. "RinJyuKen activity has been increasing recently."

Ryuubi frowned.

"Nagata-sama, that's why we left Iori-sama in charge and if there's trouble, he can contact us."

"But-"

"No buts! You need to go on vacation and I don't care if I have to tie you up and drag you to the campsite myself!" Ryuubi yelled, causing Nagata to step back in fright. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's OK. I understand." Nagata rubbed the back of his head. _'Touka can be scary when she's angry...kinda hot too.'_

"Now then, shall we be off?" Ryuubi asked.

"But Kara-chan hasn't packed anything yet," Nagata said.

"Alright, we'll leave once Idunn-sama has packed her bag."

* * *

The group gathered in front of the castle. All their supplies were packed. Words were exchanged amongst the Shoku Warriors before the group headed out on their camping trip.

"I wanna go too!" Chouhi whined.

"Rinrin, don't be rude!" Kanu scolded.

"It's fine, Aisha. Rinrin's just worried about her big brother," Ryuubi responded kindly.

"Are you sure you don't need us to come along with you?" Kanu asked.

"Don't worry so much. Remember, I have Ren, Idunn-sama, Nagata-sama and Enya with me. We're perfectly safe."

"Well, enjoy yourselves then."

"Are you sure you don't need me to go, Ren-dono?" Chinkyuu asked Ryofu.

"I will be fine," Ryofu reassured her.

Chinkyuu still wasn't convinced, but she trusted Ryofu. Still, she felt as if she needed to say a few words to Nagata.

"You better look after Ren-dono, OK? You got that, Nagata-sama?"

Nagata smiled and patted Chinkyuu's head.

"Don't worry. Ren's in good hands."

He reassured with his thumb raised confidently.

Chinkyuu blushed and turned away.

"Hmph!"

What a tsundere response.

Iori's gaze was locked on Karasu. Even though they had fought alongside each other, there was still something about her that bothers him. He was still worried about something happening to Nagata and his group if they brought her along.

He had brought up his concerns about Karasu earlier with Nagata.

* * *

" _So, I heard you were going camping," said Iori._

" _Yeah, it'll just be me, Touka, Ren, Gien and Kara-chan," Nagata replied._

" _So, Oda-san is going with you," Iori frowned._

" _Why are you saying it like that?" Nagata asked, cocking his eyebrow._

" _It's just that...are you sure you should be taking your cousin along?"_

" _What are you trying to say?"_

" _Well, to be honest, I don't fully trust your cousin."_

" _Wait, how come?" Nagata asked, surprised._

" _I just have this strange feeling like she's hiding something. Like she's plotting something bad behind our backs," Iori answered._

" _Look, I know that Kara-chan can be a bit strange, but she's my cousin. I trust her."_

" _Well, if you say so," Iori said, though he was still left unconvinced._

* * *

Even if Nagata trusted Karasu, that wasn't enough for Iori. Bujin Gaim had not been lying about Nagata being fooled once before. If there was a traitor among them, they would pose as someone close to them to escape suspicion.

Iori was going to be keeping tabs on Karasu.

The camping group left, waving goodbye to their friends.

* * *

Ryuubi led the way, skipping in front of the group. Gien followed behind her. In the middle were Ryofu and Nagata while Karasu brought up the rear.

"Camping, camping, we're going camp-camp-camp-camp-camping!" Ryuubi sang.

"Guess Touka's been infected by Rinrin's singing disease," Nagata joked. Chouhi did like to sing nonsensical songs to lift the mood while they traveled. Ryuubi would sing along as well.

Karasu was eyeing their surroundings as they walked towards the campsite. Deep within her devious mind, she was having sinister thoughts.

So many sinister thoughts filled with blood and death.

"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Kara-chan, why are you laughing?" Nagata asked out of curiosity, especially upon hearing that sudden, _suspicious_ -sounding laughter.

' _Was that out loud?_ ' Karasu realized. "I just thought of a funny joke." She congratulated herself, ' _Nice sav_ e.'

"Well, what was it? Do you mind sharing?"

' _Shit!_ ' Karasu cursed mentally. "It's a funny story, really. It's about a young man who was told to always obey his mother's words."

"A filial son," Gien approved. "Go on."

"Well, the son did anything the mother told him. So, one day, the mother felt really sick. She was so sick she said, 'Please, just kill me.' So, the son, after he heard this, smothered her with a pillow."

Nobody found that funny.

"That was not a funny story," Ryuubi remarked in disapproval.

"Morbid," stated Ryofu.

"Well, I just heard it somewhere," Karasu lied. ' _Shit! I made that up on the spot!_ '

Nagata let out a chuckle.

"It's actually kind of funny, in an ironic way. I guess it's true that you should be careful with how you phrase things."

Karasu smiled. At least someone liked her 'funny' story.

"Alright, be careful everyone. The trail ahead is pretty steep," Ryuubi cautioned everyone.

Karasu imagined everyone but her and Nagata falling down the mountain. Then they could be alone together.

It was perfect.

"You know, Touka. I think you had the right idea about me going on a camping trip," Nagata said. "I actually miss this."

"Thank you, Nagata-sama."

"You miss camping?" Karasu asked her cousin.

"Not just camping, but traveling. When I first met Aisha, we went traveling from place to place. If we couldn't find a town by nightfall, we made camp or found shelter. It was because of her that I was able to see the land with her and make so many new friends."

Karasu scowled at how fondly Nagata spoke about Kanu. The time he spent traveling with Kanu, he was trying to find clues to get home. Now, he thought of this world as his home.

"We even traveled around to find my sword and the medicine for Kashin-san," Ryuubi recalled.

"Yeah, and also to find the ingredients for General Kashin's antidote. I have to say that traveling was always the best part. It sure beats sitting in an office all day looking over paperwork."

"Paperwork is the worst."

"It is. It's tedious, it's boring, but it's necessary. But if you ask me, I'd rather be traveling, though. I prefer the freedom of the open road."

"Maybe once the war with the RinJyuKen is over, we could go traveling someplace else? There's a whole world to see, right, Nagata-sama?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. I wonder what Japan is like this year."

* * *

After many hours of hiking, they finally reached their campsite. It was a clearing that was near a stream.

Ryofu had disappeared into the forest, claiming she wanted to go look for food.

As they began to make camp, Karasu observed Ryuubi as she was pitching her tent.

"Are you sure you know how to put up a tent?" Karasu asked Ryuubi.

"Of course," Ryuubi insisted.

"Because I've seen better tents. _That_ is not a tent," Karasu pointed. "How exactly did you camp out?"

"Well, I would usually sleep under the stars," Ryuubi answered. "As for tents, well, it was usually Aisha or Nagata-sama who put them up."

"That explains it. Now we're going to need firewood too," said Karasu.

"Oh, yes. Let's go look for firewood," Ryuubi agreed.

"I'll come with you, Touka-sama," Gien offered.

"Enya, it's fine. You just stay here and look after Nagata-sama."

"But Touka-sama, I'm your bodyguard!" Gien insisted.

"It's fine. I'm perfectly safe with Idunn-sama."

"Yes, _perfectly_ safe," Karasu agreed with a sly smile.

Gien didn't seem convinced but obeyed nonetheless.

"Come on, Idunn-sama. Let's go look for firewood," said Ryuubi.

Ryuubi and Karasu both went into the forest to gather firewood. As Ryuubi picked up sticks that were on the ground, Karasu decided it was time to make her move and eliminate the competition.

Ryuubi was gathering sticks for firewood as Karasu quietly snuck up behind her. Karasu drew her sword and was ready to strike Ryuubi down when some rustling in the woods caught their attention.

Was it a wild animal, or could it be Nagata coming to check up on them?

As she had no desire getting herself caught, Karasu quickly sheathed her sword.

The bushes parted to reveal Ryofu, carrying a wild boar on her shoulders.

"Ren, you startled us!" Ryuubi exclaimed and saw the boar. "Why are you carrying that with you?"

"Food," Ryofu answered simply. "Firewood?"

"Oh, we've gathered enough, I think. What about you, Idunn-sama?"

"Yes, I think we have plenty," Karasu answered, resisting the urge to scowl. "Now let's get this back to camp so Naga-kun can cook something delicious for us."

Ryuubi smiled and followed Ryofu back to camp. Karasu followed behind them, rage written all over her face.

The group returned and Nagata saw the size of the boar Ryofu was carrying. It would normally be too big for their group, but Ryofu was a big eater with a large appetite.

When Ryofu joined their family, Nagata always made sure to make extra portions just for her.

"Well, let's get that thing prepared," Nagata said as he took out his cooking knife. "Ryofu, do you mind helping me skin and prepare the boar for cooking?"

Ryofu licked her lips and nodded. A pig like that would be delicious, even more so with Nagata preparing it.

"We should get more things for our meal," said Ryuubi. "Some wild vegetables would do nicely. I'll go see if I can find some."

"I'll go with you," Karasu offered.

Nagata built a makeshift spit with sticks over the fire pit before he helped Ryofu to skin and butcher the pig. What they wanted was the meat, none of the organs. They made sure to clean the wild boar with river water before they set it up on the spit. Ryofu easily impaled the pig so that Nagata could set it up on the spit to roast it over a fire. He made sure to choose really sturdy sticks. Even without organs, the wild boar was still hefty.

While Nagata was cooking, Gien took the opportunity to sit down and watch him. To be honest, besides work, she had not taken the time to interact with him or get to know him. Perhaps that could change right now.

"Gaim-sama, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Gien," he allowed.

"How did you learn how to cook so well?" she asked.

"My parents taught me how to cook."

"So, you were also a cook?" Gien asked skeptically.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Nagata asked.

"I just never really thought you'd have such humble beginnings. From the stories I've heard you're the Messenger of Heaven," she said.

"Well, stories tend to exaggerate and embellish details," he replied. He had heard the stories too but hadn't heard anything that was untrue.

"I see. Never knew people from Heaven needed to eat," she commented.

"Well, we're not so different from you all, are we? We've just more advanced and developed," he replied with a chuckle.

"You're nothing like us, Gaim-sama. I was there during the Siege of Korou Fortress and I saw what you did. You were powerful, so powerful in fact, that I finally understood why Touka-sama is so loyal to you," she countered.

Nagata blinked.

"You think she's loyal to me...because of my _power_?"

"Yes, that's exactly it. And I can understand that now. You are indeed powerful. You took down that demon Braco when none of us could."

"Gien, Touka's not loyal to me because of my power. She's loyal to me because of how I choose to wield it. Do you really think that Touka would be even inclined to follow me out of duty if I was some kind of tyrant? We've all seen where that level of abuse led to, and I'd very much rather not go there."

"But that doesn't change the fact that you're so powerful. However, to see someone as powerful as yourself cook is just odd. Shouldn't you leave such things to servants?" inquired Gien.

"What's so odd about it? Different people have different hobbies and likes. It doesn't have to be cooking. To say that rulers, powerful or not, can't do things that any other normal person would do, it just dehumanizes them. As much as it doesn't need to be said, even rulers need people whom they can relate to the most, and vice versa. You know, mutual understanding. I love cooking, and I love to share the meals I make with my friends. That's why I do it. As for being powerful, I sometimes have doubts if I deserve to have this power at all. I didn't really earn it at first, but I work hard so that I can wield it."

"And the reason you wield it..."

"Is to protect everyone, especially the people I love."

"And you love Touka-sama."

Nagata blushed as he confessed, "Yeah, I do. Honestly, I never thought a girl like her would ever be interested in a guy like me."

"Touka-sama admires you so much. You inspire her," Gien conceded.

"I'm pretty proud of her myself. She faced Braco without fear," Nagata agreed.

Gien took in everything Nagata said to her. The way one uses their power does define the kind of person they were. Nagata didn't throw his weight around or demand respect because of his power. All he wanted was to do was to serve the people.

That was noble.

"Gaim-sama, I serve you only because Touka-sama respects you. I've also grown to respect you. So, for the sake of respect, please don't ever break Touka-sama's heart or make her cry."

"I promise. Hurting Touka is the last thing I ever want to do, Gien."

"You may call me Enya, Gaim-sama."

"Well, you may call me Nagata."

"Alright, Nagata-sama."

He had her loyalty, and now he had her friendship. Things were starting to look up for him. He had nearly forgotten the comfort that came from the company of his friends.

Coming on this camping trip was no mistake at all.

* * *

Karasu was once again alone with Ryuubi. With no witnesses around to see or stop her, she had the perfect opportunity.

She could kill Ryuubi and dump her body where nobody would find her. Once she returned to camp, she could tell them that she got separated from Ryuubi while they searched for wild vegetables.

They would go looking for her, but not find a trace of her. Nagata would need comforting, and Karasu would instantly offer it. Then, she would get rid of the others, one by one.

It was the perfect plan.

However, if she did kill the other girls on this camping trip just to be with Nagata, then he would get stressed and this camping trip was meant to give him some time off from work so he could rest and relax.

She could kill them, but she might cause Nagata to suspect her, and he may start asking questions.

Getting rid of any of them right now was ill-advised. Besides, this camping trip was for Nagata's benefit, not Karasu's.

She'd have her chance soon.

* * *

Nagata had just finished roasting the pig and was about to prepare the fish when Gien spoke up, "Touka-sama and Idunn-sama are sure taking a long time to gather food."

"Relax," Nagata replied. "She's in good hands. She's with Kara-chan."

"With all due respect, but I don't feel comfortable trusting Touka-sama's safety to your cousin," replied Gien.

"Huh?" Nagata blinked. "Why's that?"

"Honestly, I don't really trust her," Gien confessed.

"Wait, why not? She's one of us," said Nagata. Iori had said the same thing. Just what was it about Karasu that made her seem suspicious?

"It's just a feeling I have, that's all. Maybe it's nothing, but I still can't help but be concerned whenever Idunn-sama and Touka-sama are anywhere alone," Gien explained.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked.

"Remember when we saved Sui from Zhong? When that other Armored War God, Tyrant appeared, you had us take Zhong to safety. When Tanpopo was going to kill him, she was the one urging her to go through with it," explained Gien.

Nagata knew where this was going. He had heard about this from Kanu and he had confronted Karasu about it.

"Look, the reason Kara-chan might've acted that way is because she was attacked before. That may not justify her trying to turn Tanpopo into a killer, but I can understand why she felt that was necessary," Nagata defended.

"You know, but you didn't exactly see the look on her face," Gien responded. "She had this evil smile on her face like she was enjoying it. That's why I can't shake off the feeling that she's not all that she claims to be."

Nagata could tell Gien that she was being silly, he could just brush off her concerns, but then again what if there was some truth to her words? He may need to keep a closer watch on his cousin, if only just to help her.

Maybe this camping trip could help Karasu bond better with the others.

"Oh, that smells good," said Ryuubi as she returned with Karasu. Ryuubi's basket was filled with wild vegetables and mushrooms. He would need to sort through the things Ryuubi found to make sure she hadn't picked anything poisonous.

Gien was relieved to see that Ryuubi was alright.

Nagata smiled.

"See? Nothing to worry about."

* * *

Gien found a hot spring and so they decided to have a relaxing soak together. There was a huge rock to act as a divider as Nagata soaked far from the girls. Although, it wasn't like Ryuubi and Ryofu didn't have anything he hadn't seen. He had seen them naked plenty of times when they coupled.

This was actually for Karasu and Gien's sake. Seeing Karasu naked would be awkward, and he didn't want to jeopardize the friendship he had just strengthened with Gien by accidentally doing something perverted or inappropriate.

"Nagata-sama, how's the water?" Ryuubi called as she went over to him.

"Oh, it's great," answered Nagata. "I feel so relaxed right now."

"That's good," Ryuubi smiled as she sat closer to him.

"Touka, thanks for bringing me out here. I really needed this."

"It's no problem. I think we all need a chance to relax and take our mind off our troubles."

"I wish this could last forever. Too bad that we can't run away from our responsibilities."

"Yes, I sometimes wish we could just run away together and have adventures wherever we went. Maybe even settle down and raise a family."

Nagata looked to Ryuubi when she mentioned 'family'.

"A family?"

Ryuubi blushed.

"Yes, a family, with children of our own."

Nagata's eyes widened. To be honest, he never thought that far into the future. He was more concerned with survival. But to have a child with Ryuubi...? And maybe even Aisha and the others?

Wait, was he thinking of having a huge family with a whole bunch of kids?

Now he felt a little frightened about the future and the responsibilities that came with it.

"How about me?" Ryofu asked as she approached the couple.

"Ren?" Nagata questioned.

"I want to have a child with Nagata-sama too," Ryofu stated.

"OK, sure," Nagata replied. He was here to stay. Eventually, he was going to have some kids and raise a family...a big family since he had a harem.

Oh goodness, there were going to be so _many_ kids.

"Good, let's make one right now."

"Wait, what!? Right now!? Hold on, Ren!"

But Ryofu was already trying to mount him, right in front of Ryuubi. As she and Nagata shouted, Karasu and Gien intervened.

"What are you doing!? Don't do that here! Get off my cousin right now!"

Gien's eyes widened as she saw Nagata naked and quickly covered her eyes in embarrassment.

"I JUST SAW HIS _THING_!"

It was a _really_ awkward soak in the hot spring.

At least they were making unforgettable memories.

"Only I can have his babies!"

"What did you just say Kara-chan?"

"I said I hope you don't get rabies!"

"...What?"

"Never mind! I'm getting out!"

Some very unforgettable memories indeed.

* * *

A tradition for any camping trip was telling stories around the campfire. Perhaps a bit cliché, but it was a tradition that did not go outdated.

And it was Nagata's turn.

"And while the crew of five heroic pirates left the ghost ship without the treasure they were looking for, they found an even greater treasure which further strengthened their bond. The End," Nagata concluded.

Ryuubi applauded Nagata.

"That was a good story, Nagata-sama."

"Indeed," Gien agreed. "The idea of _heroic_ pirates sounded ridiculous to me, but you made me realize they were outlaws only because they followed their own rules."

"Let me tell you about _Robin Hood_. He was a bandit who stole from the rich to give to the poor," Nagata replied.

But there were those who did not find the story very good, at least not as a campfire story.

"Not scary enough," said Ryofu.

"But there were ghosts," Nagata insisted.

"Not scary enough," repeated Ryofu.

"It was a good story, Naga-kun, but it's not exactly something that would be good enough for this atmosphere," said Karasu.

Well, they were in the mountains, at night, with a campfire casting shadows around them after all. It was a _spooky_ atmosphere to set the mood to tell campfire stories, especially scary ones.

"Oh, and I suppose you have a _better_ one?" Nagata challenged his cousin.

"I may have a story for you," Karasu accepted the challenge with a smirk. "This is a story about what a woman is capable of when her heart is broken.

"A long time ago there was a young woman. She was beautiful, with skin as pale as the moon, hair as black as night, and eyes which shone like gold. She didn't have any shortage of suitors because of her beauty. They would offer her wealth, riches, and gifts, promise her happiness, but she would reject them all.

"She rejected them all because she was already in love, but it was a forbidden love.

"She was in love with her own brother."

"Her own _brother_?" Gien repeated, curious and surprised.

"Yes, her older brother. It was a forbidden love so she had no choice but to watch him from afar. Eventually, he too fell in love with another girl and they would soon be married. The young woman who loved her brother could not bear to watch and secluded herself.

"But seclusion eventually gave way to madness as she heard whispers in her ears. These whispers told her to go kill the ones who hurt her. She tried to ignore them at first, but they just became louder until the whispers became deafening. Finally, she could not take the noise and decided to do something about it.

"On their wedding night, the woman snuck into the room her brother shared with his wife. With a knife, she stabbed them both in their bed and slit their throats. She was covered in their blood. And then, finally, she slit her own throat as she lay between their bodies. They were found together the next day. Since then, the spirit of the woman would rise on the day of her death to stalk married couples. She would enter their homes and slit their throats... _WITH THIS KNIFE!_ "

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Karasu looked at everyone for their reaction to her story and couldn't help but crack a victorious smirk.

Ryuubi was holding Nagata for safety, trembling in fright.

Ryofu was silent, as usual.

Gien was hiding behind her Blunt Shattered Bone kanabo.

That _was_ certainly a tale worthy of a campfire story.

"The End. So, how was that?" Karasu asked.

Nagata gulped.

"I think that story was a bit _too_ scary, Kara-chan," said Nagata.

"It's a campfire story, Naga-kun. It's supposed to be _scary_ ," Karasu defended.

"I wasn't afraid," Gien lied as she shook her head in denial. "I wasn't afraid at all."

"Good, because I have a lot more stories to tell and they're scarier than the one I just told you."

Gien visibly trembled.

"It's late. How about we all just turn in for the night?" Nagata quickly suggested.

"Yes, we are going to wake up early to see the sunrise. Isn't that right, Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi added.

"If we sleep in too late, we might miss it."

"And they say the view of the sunrise from here is just breathtaking."

Karasu looked between Nagata and Ryuubi suspiciously but conceded.

"Fine, you all can go to sleep. I'll keep watch. But mark my words, tomorrow night I'm going to tell you a story that will make you never want to fall asleep again."

"Can't wait," Nagata lied with a slightly nervous tremble in his voice.

As the others retired for the night, Karasu gazed at the campfire. She may not accomplish her goal of getting rid of Ryuubi and Ryofu on this camping trip, but seeing Nagata recover from his traumatic experience was good enough for her.

Thus, she decided to postpone her assassination attempts and focus on Nagata's recovery. All that stress was getting to him and it's not good for his health. A little rest and relaxation and he would be as good as new.

Once that was done, she would finally make her move. There would be no more setbacks or delays. She would get what she wanted in the end, and nobody would be able to stop her. Even if she ran into bad luck like before, she would still pursue her goals with a steely resolve.

She may need to take Gien out as well. She didn't want any witnesses or someone interfering with her plans.

Karasu's lips widened as her eyes glowed red with a malicious shine in them.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Touka Village, Iori was doing some target practice. For the past two weeks, he had been working very hard to improve his skills.

He needed to get stronger, but would it be enough?

Nagata was stronger than he was, but even with all that strength he still crumbled.

The tragedy at Rakuyo, when Chojo set it ablaze, was something they could never forget. It was their first great failure as Armored War Gods as so many innocent lives were lost that day.

Nagata felt responsible since he was leading the Alliance at the time.

After the fire that consumed Rakuyo and its citizens, the Alliance focused all their power to bring Chojo to justice and make her pay. It was only after her defeat that everyone could calm down and take in what happened.

They held a celebration after Chojo's defeat. It was a healthy distraction. Nagata had to be coaxed into joining the festivities as he was in a poor mood.

The memory haunted them, but not as much as Nagata. It haunted him for a long time until he finally got over it. Instead of letting it hamper him, he used it as a source of strength. He strengthened his resolve to not allow such a tragedy repeat itself.

Unfortunately, another tragedy did occur in Rakuyo. After they captured Bujin Gaim, they found the bodies of the guards he had killed.

Then when they went back Rakuyo to stop the Femme Fatales, the sight of all those bodies reopened old wounds.

Nagata was gradually having a breakdown. The stress was getting to him. Iori observed how he tried to act normal, tried to insist that he was alright but he carried the burden of his guilt upon his shoulders.

That wasn't healthy.

And yet Nagata pushed on, putting on a mask in order to maintain the image of a strong ruler. But the mask was beginning to crack and the facade was fading from the burden. Still, Nagata tried to keep up appearances for the sake of those around him.

Fortunately, Ryuubi managed to catch that something was wrong and decided Nagata needed to get out and go on a vacation.

Iori agreed.

Nagata needed to be someplace to clear his mind and help him overcome his trauma. Ryuubi was a good soul and her presence could help Nagata get better.

But Iori was worried that Karasu might do something that could jeopardize Nagata's recovery. There was just something off about that girl.

Iori just hoped he was just being paranoid, that it was all just his imagination, but he always trusted his gut instincts.

He just hoped he was wrong on this occasion.

"Airen," Kochu called as she found him with Riri.

Iori turned to face Kochu when his name was called. He wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Koi, what's up?" he asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me. Is there anything wrong?" Kochu asked.

"No, there's nothing wrong, Koi."

Kochu knew he wasn't completely honest, but she knew how to make him tell the truth. She pulled her husband's face into her big soft breasts, smothering him.

"Koi...?"

"Shh, I'm trying to make you feel better, OK?"

Iori managed to pull away.

"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong," he insisted.

"Are you sure?" she prodded.

Iori sighed. He could never hide his feelings from his wife.

"I...no, I'm not alright. It's about what happened with Bujin Gaim."

"But it's over now. He's gone."

"I know, but maybe if I was strong enough then I could've helped Nagata. Even with my power, that _thing_ still beat me. I just need to be the best I can be. Better than I already am. Then when something stronger comes along, I'll be ready."

"Koi, you're acting like this rests solely on your shoulders."

"I guess you can say it's a remnant of my upbringing. The school I went to put a lot of pressure on us doing our best and going beyond that. We were motivated to be at the very top and I was at the top of everything. I scored top marks at every test, got first place at every competition. It's been like that since I can remember."

"Why did you try to be the best at everything you did?"

"Because it was _expected_ of me. I may not have been the heir of the Tokugawa Clan, but my actions reflected on my family's reputation. All I wanted was for my parents to appreciate my efforts, but they either ignored my accomplishments or told me that everything I did was 'expected' just like that. So, I worked hard even if it stressed me out. I had no time to make friends. I only had time to study and improve my archery skills just so my parents could actually praise me for once. But if I look back at it all, it just seems so petty now."

Kochu understood.

"I don't think it's that petty. Every child wants their parents to be proud of them."

Iori's frown deepened as he continued.

"Yeah, and I tried, and I _tried_ , and I _**tried**_ , but nothing was good enough. Nothing was _ever good enough_ for them. You know, Nagata and I got to talk about my parents. I asked him about his. They were supportive of him. They were always there to watch him during competitions and even taught him how to cook. Made me wish I had his parents instead."

"Are you, in fact, jealous of Nagata-sama?"

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit jealous of him. He's gotten stronger. Every time I thought I've closed the gap between us, he is able to find a way to widen it even more. He was the one who defeated Braco while I wasn't able to leave a mark on him. He was the one who lasted the longest against Bujin Gaim as well."

"But remember what he had to do to gain that power. He was put in a near-death state and all of us were in danger."

"Yeah, I guess there's always a downside. I mean, I thought when I was able to bring out Ryugen-Yomi I would be strong enough. I had so much power coursing through me. It was unreal. I felt like I could take Braco on. Of course, he showed me my place soon after. Even Bujin Gaim was able to beat me."

"That doesn't make you weak. Braco got strong because he took the power of his comrades. Bujin Gaim stole power from Nagata-sama. You gained your power because you wanted to protect us."

"And it was Nagata who saved us all, again, like always. He just makes my presence here pointless."

"Your presence here isn't pointless, Airen. You do have a place here," she reassured him.

Riri handed Iori a drawing and he saw that it was a drawing of him. She beamed at him brightly.

"You'll always be my Number 1 hero, Daddy."

Iori was touched and he smiled at his stepdaughter.

"Thanks, Riri. This makes me feel better."

"And what about me, Riri?" Kochu asked.

"Oh, you're Number 1 too, Mommy. You and Daddy are my Number 1," Riri answered.

"Well, I'm not opposed to sharing the title of Number 1 with you, Koi."

"Neither am I, Airen."

With his family around him, Iori didn't have to worry about having his work appreciated because they did appreciate all he had done for them. A caring wife and daughter made him happier than he ever was in his old life.

"You know what? How about we go on another family vacation? We could visit Kikyo. It's been some time since we last saw her."

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Kochu agreed, smiling, but then her expression changed, worrying Iori.

"Koi, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know, I just feel..."

Kochu suddenly threw up on the ground.

"Mommy!" Riri yelled in shock.

"Koi!" Iori cried out as he quickly held back her hair as she continued to vomit. "Are you sick or something?"

"I don't think so," Kochi answered, groaning. She had experienced this kind of nausea before, a long time ago.

It was before Riri was born.

"Come on, let's take you to Kada-sensei," urged Iori.

* * *

Kada finished his examination of Kochu.

"She's fine."

"She threw up. She either has food poisoning or she's sick. So don't tell me she's fine! Tell me what's wrong with her and give it to me straight!" Iori demanded.

"Airen, it's fine," Kochu said as she rubbed her belly. "It's natural."

"Natural? What do you-?" Iori's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, are you telling me..."

"She's pregnant," Kada finished.

"It's true," Kochu confirmed. "I'm pregnant."

Iori was speechless.

"I'll give you two some privacy," said Kada as he left the room.

"Airen, are you OK?" Kochu asked as Iori still didn't say anything.

"You're pregnant..." he uttered. "You're _pregnant_. As in you're going to have a baby. You're going to have _my_ baby."

She understood why he was freaking out. He didn't think he was ready for this.

"Airen, I know you said you weren't ready to have a baby with me, but don't you think this is a blessing?" she asked.

Iori looked up at his wife's face. She knew the risks of having a baby during these dangerous times, but she looked so happy that she was having his child. He couldn't deny her the chance, and perhaps this could be a blessing as well. Perhaps he should consider this a chance to pass on his bloodline in this new world.

But he still had doubts.

"It's just...I'm scared," he confessed.

"Airen, it'll be alright. You won't be alone. We'll raise this child together," she assured him.

"I know that, but what if I can't be a good father? You've heard how my parents raised me. I'm just afraid of making the same mistakes," he told her.

"Airen, did you really think I wasn't afraid of making mistakes when I had Riri?" Kochu asked. "I was just married and also going to become a mother. I was terrified! But then I realized I couldn't afford to be scared. I needed to be brave, for her. And I know you can be brave too."

Iori looked to the floor. Could he really do this? Kochu held his hand and gripped it gently before moving it to rest his palm on her stomach. A life was growing in there, a life they both made together out of love and not from any kind of obligation. This was their child.

"Do you really think I can be a good father?" Iori asked.

"Airen, I think Riri and I can attest to how good of a father you already are," Kochu answered.

"Alright, I'll try," he promised. "If I make any mistakes, you will be there to help me."

"Of course, and so will Riri," she assured him. "Oh, we need to tell Riri!"

"Not just yet. Let's just keep this between the two of us for now, OK?" Iori requested.

"Alright," Kochu nodded. "We'll tell her and the others, soon."

* * *

 **KRC:** Well, this chapter mainly focuses on the daily activities of the Shoku Warriors. We find out a few things, though. Nagata is still traumatized from his experience when Bujin Gaim possessed him. And all that stress piling up on him, he really does need a vacation, badly. And then I added that maybe not everyone is happy with what Nagata is doing. That kid spat at him for his brother's death, and this is only the beginning. Hatred and resentment can be spread like a virus. It was also illustrated by what Mitsuki experienced with the speaker trying to denounce him and Sousou in Interlude II. The civil unrest is a theme that I'm addressing with these little bits, but it shows not everyone is happy with the AWGs and it's something the villains are capitalizing on. They feel that their 'heroes' are incompetent and unable to protect them due to all the deaths that they couldn't stop. What happened in Rakuyo is going to spread and Nagata is going to get a poor approval rating now as a result since the Rakuyo-restoration project was his idea.

And we get a tiny subplot with Iori and Kochu. It seems all that intercourse has resulted in a child. That's right folks, Kochu is pregnant with Iori's kid. He wasn't exactly too keen on the idea at first, citing that they lived in a dangerous time, but he realizes he can't let fear rule his decision. Plus, this child is another member to love once he/she is born. Riri also wants a little brother/sister to dote on someday since she wants to be a big sister. She's always treated as the little sister or baby of the group, but she's growing up.

Finally, we see Karasu trying to get Nagata all to herself like a classic psychotic yandere. She failed, as usual, like when she tried to interfere with the dates during the Romance in the Shoku Kingdom side story. And she failed at one time on Bacho's date when she got stung by bees right in the face.

* * *

Karasu sat by the campfire, keeping watch while everyone else was sleeping soundly in their tents.

Soon, she would wake Ryofu up when it was her turn to keep watch.

As Karasu remained in deep contemplation, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Normally, she would've taken her sword and assaulted anyone who touched her without permission, but she knew who it was.

"Kara-chan."

"Naga-kun, what are you doing up?"

"Can't sleep. Mind if I sit here with you?"

"Of course."

"Thanks."

The two sat quietly together. Nagata leaned his head against her shoulder and she gently stroked his hair.

"It's my fault," he spoke up.

"What is?" Karasu asked.

"The crimes that Bujin Gaim committed. I wasn't strong enough to resist him. So the people he killed, their blood is on my hands."

"You were possessed. You had no control over what he did with your body."

"It doesn't change the fact that he killed those people with my body."

"You eventually beat him, remember?"

"Yeah, but by then he had already killed so many people. I can still remember their faces and what he did..."

Nagata's hands trembled as he tried not to relive the experience. Bujin Gaim had murdered people. He had also raped a waitress in that tavern and left her to die when he set the place on fire. He also raped and murdered a waitress in that restaurant after he killed everyone else.

Bujin Gaim had snapped that waitress' neck while raping her. It wasn't a memory Nagata could erase anytime soon. Being trapped and aware the whole time, that was Bujin Gaim's torture for him.

"He's gone now," Karasu reminded. "You'll never have to suffer like that ever again."

"It's not just that, Kara-chan. There's also what happened at Rakuyo too. If I hadn't started that restoration project, those guards and the workers wouldn't have died."

"You weren't the one who killed them."

"But it was _my_ decision that put them there. The Femme Fatales killed them, but I was the one who placed them there in the first place. It was my responsibility, all of it."

Nagata paused as he closed his eyes, tears brimming in them.

"How am I supposed to live with all that?"

Karasu put her arm around Nagata, holding him close.

"You're not dealing with this alone. Don't ever forget that."

Nagata took comfort from Karasu's words and allowed himself to smile.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Kara-chan."

"I'm glad I'm here for you too. Besides, we're family."

"Yeah. Hey, Kara-chan. Want to play that game we used to play?"

"You mean 'Count the Stars'?" Karasu giggled. "You always lost count."

"Not this time. I've been practicing."

"Well, show me what you got, Naga-kun."

As the two played their childhood game, Karasu smiled. Now she knew, without a doubt, that she would need to save Nagata from this life.

He would no longer have to suffer once she succeeded.

"Hey, look, shooting stars," Nagata pointed and Karasu followed his gaze towards the shooting stars. "Make a wish, Kara-chan."

Karasu made her wish.

"What did you wish for, Kara-chan?"

"It's a _secret_."

A secret wish that she was going to make come true.

Besides, her wish wouldn't come true if she told anyone, right?

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #16A: FISHING, GIEN STYLE**

A bear was by the river, peacefully catching fish to eat. It was truly a beautiful sight to see nature at work. The bear swiftly scooped up the fish, holding the flailing creature in its forepaws.

Nothing was better than this.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Screaming, Gien sprinted out of the woods and jumped on the bear's back. She started to wail on it like a maniac as it tried to throw her off. She fell on her back but rose to her feet, adopting a boxing stance. She hit the bear with a right hook to the face and then a straight punch to the chest.

The bear swiped with its paws, but she ducked and went on the attack again, hitting the bear with powerful punches.

Finally, she managed to get the better of the bear and kicked it right in the groin. As the bear collapsed in agony, Gien picked up its fish and fled with it.

"I got dinner!" Gien cried triumphantly as she returned to the campsite with the fish.

"That will go great with the honey that Kara-chan got," said Nagata and then everyone froze, eyes wide as dinner plates.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Gien asked.

Standing behind her was the bear from earlier.

It was pissed and hungry.

This cannot end well.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #16B: KITE FLYING**

While Nagata, Ryuubi, Gien, Ryofu and Karasu were on a camping trip, the others back at Shoku Castle were doing their own thing.

Right now, Iori was relaxing as he watched Chouhi and Riri fly kites in the garden.

Iori recalled the first time he went kite flying. His big brother Ichiro actually took him out to the park since their parents were too busy.

Iori shook his head. He had no need to dwell on sad moments in his past. Forgetting about his parents for a moment, he recalled how happy he was when he flew a kite for the first time.

And then he heard a loud cry.

It was Riri. She was crying loudly.

Iori quickly ran over to his stepdaughter.

"Riri, what's wrong?"

Riri pointed up to the tree in the garden and the kite that was stuck in it.

"Daddy, my kite!"

"Don't worry, honey. I'll get it for you."

Iori rolled up his sleeves and climbed up the tree to grab the kite. He then climbed down with it.

"Is it broken?" Riri asked.

"No, it's fine," said Iori as he checked the kite for damage. "Now come on Riri, let's get this kite flying again."

"OK, Daddy!"

As Iori and Riri played together, Kochu watched from the gazebo. Iori was so worried he may not be a good father, but here he was demonstrating that he could.

She rubbed her stomach, waiting patiently for her second child to come to this world.

* * *

 **And a special update, here's a PREVIEW:**

* * *

 _ **Revelations...**_

* * *

"Remember how Nagata disappeared?" Blake asked. Hearing those words alone caused both Weiss and Yang to sigh. Nagata had been gone for nearly a year. He just vanished without a trace. There was no clue of where he went or any indication that he was still alive.

Ever since the news got out about real costumed heroes and monsters, people have been trying to find out more about them.

Blake took out her tablet and showed them what was on the screen.

"I want you to read this," Blake said.

"Blake, I swear if it's your smut again..." Yang started.

"It's not smut. It's erotica and it's beautiful," said Blake defensively. "And no, this is something else."

"" **Sangokuden: Armored War Gods Saga** "?" Yang and Weiss asked as they read the title.

"It's a web novel I found online," Blake explained.

* * *

 _ **Grief...**_

* * *

Gaim didn't know what compelled him to do it, but he took off his helmet to reveal his face to her.

"You look like my father..." Ruby spoke, confused.

"I know this won't make any sense. It's me, Okaasan..." he told her as tears welled up in his eyes. She reached up and held his face. "It's me. It's your son. It's Nagata. I got a chance to see you again, to tell you that I'm OK. To tell you...to tell you that I love you, Okaasan."

It was true, it didn't make sense, but Ruby Oda believed him and was relieved to see that her son would grow up and be okay.

"Nagata..." she said before her eyes closed for the last time.

"No, you can't leave me again! Okaasan! Okaasan! OKAASAAAAAAAN!" Nagata shouted. Tears flowed from his eyes as he cradled his mother's body and screamed.

* * *

 _ **Wrath...**_

* * *

" _ **WHY!?"**_

" _ **WHY!?"**_

" _ **WHY DID YOU DO THIS!?"**_

* * *

 _ **Reunions...**_

* * *

"Mom?"

Yang's eyes widened as she heard that and turned to see Nagata staring right at her.

"Son?"

Ryuubi gasped.

"Mom!" Nagata yelled as he ran to her.

"Come here and give your mom a hug!" Yang laughed as she caught Nagata into a tight hug and everyone's jaws dropped.

Yang twirled Nagata around happily and put him down.

* * *

 _ **Legends...**_

* * *

 **[NOBUNAGA!]**

 **[EDISON!]**

 **[MUSASHI!]**

 **[BENKEI!]**

 **[NEWTON!]**

 **[BEETHOVEN!]**

 **[ROBIN HOOD!]**

 **[BILLY THE KID!]**

 **[GOEMON!]**

 **[HEISEI RIDERS!]**

* * *

 **COMING SOON:**

 **SANGOKUDEN ARMORED WAR GODS SAGA 6.5**

 **"SANGOKUDEN AWG SAGA SPECIAL SIDE STORY: HUNT FOR THE HEISEI RIDER LOCKSEEDS!"**


	25. A Game of Thrones

"Ah...I'm so bored..." Enjutsu sighed listlessly as she lay across her throne. "Nothing interesting is happening today again. So boring...boring. Nanano, is there anything exciting happening?"

There was so much happening these days. Ever since the Armored War Gods descended from Heaven, it was one thing after another. Epic battles were taking place every so often. Even epic stories were being told of those battles and there were even plays based on them.

"I'm sorry Miu-sama, but I'm afraid there's nothing happening right now," Chokun apologized.

"What about a festival?"

"No."

"A new show at the theater?"

"Nope."

"A party?"

"Again no, sorry."

Sadly, all that was happening in _other_ provinces and not in Enjutsu's own province. She only got to participate in a few events while others like her cousin were having adventures all the time!

It just wasn't fair!

"I WANNA DO SOMETHING FUN! SOMETHING FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! I'M SO BORED! BORED! BORED! BORED!"

In the midst of her whining fit, Enjutsu didn't notice the doors to her throne room were opened. Entering the room was Sadako, one of Enjutsu's new retainers.

She saw the raging ruler and mentally scoffed at the spoiled child's antics before putting on her polite and relaxed facade. For this plan to work, she needed Enjutsu to be eating out of the palm of her hand.

Not that it would be any difficult with how stupid the brat was.

"Enjutsu-sama."

"Oh, it's you, Duchess." Enjutsu quickly returned to her usual position, as if she hadn't been bawling like the small child she was. "What do you have for me?"

"Oh, just something that may interest you," Sadako smirked as she snapped her fingers. A servant approached with a small wooden cabinet.

"What is that? A present?" Enjutsu asked curiously while barely holding in her excitement. She loved getting presents.

"Yes, and it's something _special_. I discovered it during my travels and decided no one else deserved it but you."

Sadako produced a key and unlocked the cabinet. She then opened the doors to reveal its contents.

Chokun gasped.

Enjutsu's eyes widened in shock as she saw what was inside the box.

"Is that...is that...?" Enjutsu stammered, barely believing her eyes.

Just like Enjutsu, Chokun was speechless.

What was revealed to them was the last thing they expected to see.

"Yes, Enjutsu-sama. It is **the Seal of Heaven** ," Sadako confirmed.

A gold statue in the shape of a dragon. What else could it be but the magnificent Seal of Heaven?

Enjutsu stepped off her throne to approach the artifact and hold it in her hands. She was in awe of it. It truly was the _genuine_ Seal of Heaven thought to be lost forever since the day it vanished.

Enjutsu was instantly fascinated by it. The golden radiance was just breathtaking. It was also in the shape of a dragon, which was a mighty beast indeed. It was a true representation of the Mandate of Heaven and a symbol of Imperial might.

"It's...it's so beautiful..."

Chokun watched warily as her mistress seemed a bit too absorbed by the Seal of Heaven.

Sadako smiled slyly as Enjutsu worshiped the artifact. Soon, the magic it held would infect her mind and make her easily manipulated.

* * *

 **We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Kamen Rider Chrome**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 17: A Game of Thrones**

* * *

When Hideyoshi awoke that morning, his head throbbed painfully while his eyes stung. The sunlight was way too bright and every bit of noise was giving him a headache.

It was like his eyes were burning and someone was hammering the inside of his skull.

Totaku wasn't with him when he woke up. She got up early to perform her duties. As a maid, she had a lot to do early in the morning. She took care of his laundry, fixed his meals, and cleaned up everything.

Honestly, she was acting like a housewife even though they weren't married.

Was this the thing they called 'bridal training'?

Hideyoshi's head throbbed as the room spun. When he came back last night, he was really upset because of what happened. So, he decided to do something he thought he would never do.

He decided to follow Kenshin's example and went on a bender, drinking his troubles away and drowning his sorrows. He ended up getting so plastered that he almost fell unconscious last night. Fortunately, he managed to drag himself to bed before he passed out.

And now he was regretting it.

He really should have known better.

Following Kenshin's example was _always_ a _terrible_ idea.

"Good morning, Hideyoshi!" Kenshin greeted as Hideyoshi staggered into the dining room. Kenshin was having breakfast with Kayu. They were having rice balls.

Hideyoshi groaned as he planted himself on a chair and nursed his aching head. The sound of Kenshin's voice caused Hideyoshi's head to throb painfully.

"Please, don't speak so loud," Hideyoshi moaned as he rubbed his aching head.

"Hey, are you OK?" Kenshin asked, concerned.

"You got up pretty late," Kayu observed.

"Yeah, you're usually up before we are."

"My head is throbbing and I feel like I'm going to hurl at any moment," groaned Hideyoshi. "So, I'm definitely _not_ OK."

Kenshin and Kayu exchanged looks of concern before looking back at their friend.

"Dude, do you have a _hangover_?" Kenshin asked curiously. As far as he knew, Hideyoshi never had a hangover before. He was usually careful when he drank, and knew how to control himself. Whenever he even felt the slightest bit tipsy, he would stop.

Hideyoshi leaned towards Kenshin and looked him in the eye. Kenshin blinked as their gazes locked. There was a fierce intensity in Hideyoshi's eyes.

"Don't ask _dumb_ questions."

Kenshin recoiled and waved his hand in front of his face after catching a whiff of Hideyoshi's morning breath.

"Yeah, you had _way_ too much to drink."

"This isn't like you. What happened?" Kayu asked Hideyoshi, surprised and worried.

"Had a really, _really_ , _**really**_ shitty night. Needed something to help me through it. So I dug through my stash of wine and drank it all," Hideyoshi explained. "Ugh, my head hurts and I feel sick."

"Wait, you have a _stash_ and you never told us about it?" Kenshin questioned, nearly baffled upon the exposition as he tried to hold the urge to facepalm.

" _Had_. Now, it's all _gone_ ," Hideyoshi said as he planted his forehead on the table. "Ugh...this fucking sucks...I swear I'm _never_ drinking again."

"I think you should go back and rest in bed," Kayu suggested.

"Yeah, Miyabi's right. You look like shit," Kenshin supported.

"I wish I could, but I got so much work to do today," Hideyoshi insisted weakly.

"You're not doing any work in this condition," Kayu pointed. "Even Ei would say you're not fit for work."

"Yeah, man. I think you should just call in sick and get Yue to look after you," Kenshin agreed. "Kosonsan would understand if you're not up to it today."

Hideyoshi wanted to argue with his friends, but he couldn't come up with a rebuttal on account of his throbbing skull.

"I guess you're right. I can barely see anything," Hideyoshi groaned.

"That's because you're missing your glasses," Kayu pointed.

"Oh, right," Hideyoshi realized. "Shit, I really am out of it."

Kenshin sighed in exasperation as he rolled his eyes away from his friend.

"Look, just go and rest today," Kenshin begged his best friend.

"Yeah...I should really..." Hideyoshi abruptly stopped as he turned green. "Oh, oh kami..."

"Dude?"

"I think I'm gonna puke."

"Dude, find something to puke in!"

"Too late!"

And Hideyoshi spewed.

Miraculously, Totaku appeared just in time with a bucket to catch the vomit. Hideyoshi kept retching and hurling as she gently rubbed his back.

"Easy there," Totaku spoke softly to comfort her beau as he threw up.

"Ugh, my mouth tastes like dirty sweat socks," gagged Hideyoshi.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah, I am now, at least a little bit."

"Seriously, what happened to you last night, bro?" Kenshin questioned, wondering what it was that had driven his best friend to go on a bender.

Hideyoshi seemed hesitant. He didn't want to relive what happened last night by talking about it.

"I...I don't wanna talk about it..."

He just wanted to forget it happened.

"Hideyoshi-kun, please," Totaku pleaded. As their eyes met, Hideyoshi sighed as he caved in.

He could _never_ say no to her.

"I had a _really_ bad night."

Hideyoshi's friends listened as he told them about last night when he went to Rakuyo. He joined Nagata, Iori, Masataka and Mitsuki to try and stop the Femme Fatales, only to fail. He told them how they found everyone that was stationed at Rakuyo, the guards and construction workers, all dead.

He didn't leave out the zombies.

Totaku was speechless.

Kayu gaped in horror.

Kenshin gawked.

Once he recovered, Kenshin summarized so eloquently, "Dude, that's fucked up. I mean, _zombies_. No wonder you went on a bender."

"I had nightmares of Rakuyo after the fire," Hideyoshi added pathetically. "And now I'm going to have more nightmares about Rakuyo, this time _with_ zombies included."

"Will you be alright?" Totaku asked hopefully.

"I don't know. Maybe? Eventually, but not right now. Right now I just need to work on moving on."

"You should've taken me with you," stated Kenshin.

"It wouldn't have made a difference. When we got there, it was already too late. Everyone was dead. There were no survivors," Hideyoshi informed them.

"Oh, Hideyoshi-kun..." Totaku said sympathetically.

Kenshin looked at his best friend sympathetically. Hideyoshi was never really a fighter, even after he embraced the role of being one. Hideyoshi had trouble dealing with all the violence. At best, he would try to hide it. But when something as terrible as this happened, not even Hideyoshi could hide how much it affected him.

"Look, dude. It sucks what happened. But you can't keep beating yourself over it. It was not your fault," Kenshin said.

"And you can't change what happened," Kayu added. "What's the point of regretting it now when you know you can't do anything about it?"

"I can't just get over it like that, guys." Hideyoshi shook his head. He didn't know if he could _ever_ move on anytime soon, considering the impact of what he saw and experienced in Rakuyo. Seeing all those corpses was bad enough, but to see them come back as zombies just made the whole thing ten times even worse than before. He had to kill them again because they had become a dangerous threat, but it was not their fault.

"You have to, because it's not healthy to dwell on something like that, and you're no good to anyone if you're depressed. Look at Yue. She's worried sick about you already," Kenshin said.

Hideyoshi looked at his girlfriend. Her eyes looked so sad when she saw the state he was in. She was on the verge of tears. He felt terrible, but he couldn't bear to see her sad. It was a heavy burden for him.

"Hideyoshi-kun, please," she pleaded. "Don't do this to yourself."

"I'm sorry, Yue-hime," he apologized. "It'll take some time, but I promise I'll try my best to get over this. Right now, though, I need to get over this hangover."

"There should be some herbs that can help you," said Totaku. "You just sit here and relax. Keep the bucket just in case."

"I will," he smiled as Totaku headed into the kitchen.

"I better go with her," Kayu offered as she went to escort Totaku.

Hideyoshi groaned as he felt nauseous again but Kenshin just smiled cheerfully.

"Buddy, you're lucky. So, when's the wedding?"

"Shut up."

Hideyoshi puked into the bucket again.

* * *

"Is Hideyoshi-san sick or something?" Sasuke asked as he walked with Kenshin towards the herb shop. Totaku had sent Kenshin to grab a few things from the shop to help Hideyoshi get better. She was going to make Hideyoshi a healthy herbal drink.

Unfortunately, while she managed to find most of the herbs, she was missing a few key ingredients and sent Kenshin to go get them.

Fortunately, there was a shop in the city that sold various herbal remedies.

With the list she had given him, Kenshin knew he was going to need help carrying it all. Kayu couldn't help since Kosonsan had asked her to train the guards.

Therefore, he asked Sasuke to help him with that.

The musician happily agreed.

"Yeah, he had a really shitty night and it really fucked him up," Kenshin answered.

"It must've been terrible if it made him fall ill," replied Sasuke sympathetically.

"You're telling me. Kinda wished I went with him."

"So why didn't you?"

"He went out in the middle of the night and didn't even bother to wake me up. Then again, I'm a pretty heavy sleeper, and with what he had to deal with he couldn't spare the time."

"I hope he gets better."

"He will. He's got little Yue looking after him. Little, sweet, dependable Yue."

Kenshin let out a sigh.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, I am. It's just that Hideyoshi's got a girlfriend and I don't really have anyone like that in my life," Kenshin answered.

"What about Kayu-san?"

"We have more of a 'friends with benefits' kind of deal going on. Besides, she's not looking for a relationship. She just needs a guy she can trust whenever she has an itch to scratch."

"And she trusts you?"

"Better than a stranger. Besides, she scratches my itch and I scratch hers. Best of all there's no commitment. It's win-win."

"And yet you wish you had a relationship like Hideyoshi-san and Totaku-chan."

"Yeah, which is why I kinda envy him, you know. Him and Nagata."

"Nagata-san?"

"Yeah, Ren-chan's all over him now when I liked her first. It just ain't fair."

Sasuke could see how this conversation was starting to depress Kenshin, so he had an idea on how to make him feel better.

"How about after we buy those herbs and deliver them to Totaku-chan, we go to a tavern together and have a few drinks?" Sasuke suggested.

Kenshin perked up at that idea.

"Yeah, that'll be fun. You know, come to think of it, we never had drinks together before, have we?"

"No, we have not. You usually take Kayu-san and Hideyoshi-san with you and then Kosonsan-sama yells at you a lot because something happens whenever you go to the tavern."

"She's just overreacting."

"I heard it was a bar fight. And by that, I meant a very _violent_ bar fight."

"We're in a bar, man. People get drunk and can barely restrain themselves. We need a way to blow off some steam."

Kenshin made it sound completely justified.

Sasuke began to look reluctant about going to the bar.

"You know, now I'm starting to regret my suggestion."

Kenshin patted him on the back.

"Oh, come on! Now I won't be able to stop thinking about it!"

"I don't look forward to a brawl erupting with me in the middle..."

Kenshin's smile only widened.

"Relax, it'll be fun. You can even bring your flute so you can charm the ladies. I see the kind of spell you cast with that _magic wand_ of yours. I wanna see if it'll help me score with some ladies."

"Women do tend to be drawn to my music. It should make our time in the tavern interesting."

"Now that's the spirit! Just don't forget weapons. These places can get rowdy."

"Duly noted."

"Ah, yeah! Guys' Night!"

"But let's not forget those herbs."

"Right, thanks for reminding me."

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Totaku asked Hideyoshi as he downed the herbal tea she made for him. Kenshin was able to get everything on the list. They even had some extra stored away for future use.

"The headache and nausea have passed. Oh, and look. I found my glasses," Hideyoshi answered as he put the glasses back on.

Totaku could sense there was something else Hideyoshi neglected to tell them. He told them everything, or so he claimed, but there was something he omitted from his story.

"Hideyoshi-kun, there's something you're not telling me, is there?" Totaku asked.

Hideyoshi fell silent. Should he tell her?

She would get her answers one way or another. Hideyoshi had yet to develop a resistance to her puppy-dog eyes.

He let out a sigh of resignation.

"I can't hide anything from you, can I, Yue-hime?"

"What else happened last night?"

This was the part he hadn't told any of them. Kenshin could pick up on it and knew Hideyoshi was keeping something to himself. As Totaku was asking him now, Hideyoshi could no longer hide it.

He took out his Xuanwu Lockseed and rolled it around in his hand.

"I wasn't completely honest about there being no survivors. We did manage to find a survivor. He was badly injured. Baron called me to heal him, but…"

"But what…?"

"I was too slow. He was already gone when I was about to help him." He clutched the Xuanwu Lockseed tightly. "What's the point of having this power if I can't save anyone with it?" He wanted to throw the Xuanwu Lockseed at the wall. That was how upset he was.

Totaku embraced him to comfort him.

"Oh, Hideyoshi-kun…"

He sobbed against her as he rested his head against her shoulder.

"Of course, I _deserve_ to be the Black Turtle. That's why I couldn't save him. I was too late. I was too slow," Hideyoshi slowly cried.

"Hideyoshi-kun…" Totaku whispered soothingly.

"This is like what happened with Chojo all over again. I couldn't do anything back then either."

"Hideyoshi-kun, I'm fine."

"She put you in a cage! She dragged your reputation and name through the mud! How can you be fine!?"

"Because you were trying to protect me."

"Protect you!? I let her put you in a cage! What good am I if I couldn't even help you when you needed me the most!?"

"Because if you didn't do as she said, she would've done something worse. You did your best at the time."

Hideyoshi let out a sigh as his shoulders sagged.

"My best? My best? If you call that my best, then it just wasn't good enough."

Totaku didn't say anything and continued to hug him, silently comforting him.

Hideyoshi resolved to be stronger. He could not break down like this in the future. He had made his choice. He just had to get used to dealing with tragedy and get over it if he was going to survive and protecting the ones he loved.

* * *

Ensho was never one to do anything half-assed. She either did things extravagantly or didn't bother doing anything at all.

And this was her special day, so it needed to be _huge_ and _spectacular_.

It needed to be the biggest wedding of the year! No, the century!

She deserved nothing less.

Finally, after all this time, she and her beloved Haru would finally be married.

For her and Haru's wedding, she made sure to only get the very best. For her, the best was of high quality and expensive. She needed the best venue, the best food, the best decorations, and the best clothes money could buy.

The dress Ensho had ordered was made out of the finest silk in all of China.

No expense was spared to make this the best wedding ever. She wanted it to be the talk of the land. She wanted it to be a grand celebration.

Ensho did ask Haru for his opinion regarding their wedding preparation. She showed how considerate she was of his opinions.

Haru, who usually preferred a more humble event, agreed that his fiancée deserved the very best for _their_ special day.

Invitations were sent out to their friends and allies. Ensho insisted that they come bearing gifts. She even invited Enjutsu, but never got confirmation from her cousin regarding her attendance.

That was odd. Then again, this was Enjutsu who was probably the worst out of the entire En clan for her flights of fancy.

Ensho wasn't going to worry herself over something trivial. She needed to be prepared. She needed to get her hair done and get herself properly groomed for her wedding.

They were finally tying the knot.

Initially, Ensho only desired an Armored War God to raise her status. She would seduce him and steal his heart. He would belong to her and fight for her. She would have complete control over him.

What she never expected to happen was to fall in love herself. Falling in love was never part of the plan, but she had fallen for Haru.

And the feeling was mutual.

He was always there for her. Whenever she was upset, he would be there to soothe her feelings. Whenever she was happy, he would be there to share her happiness.

It was a relationship that Ensho never thought she could have. Her past suitors only wanted her for her money and status. Haru was one of the rare few who wanted her out of love.

Haru was the one who made her realize how obnoxious she could be. Any man would have thrown in the towel and run away from her. Not Haru, though. He remained at her side through the best and worst of times.

She was finally happy. She was finally and truly happy. Money could never buy her this much happiness. Even priceless treasures paled in comparison to this happiness.

One day, in the midst of the preparations, Ensho finally received a response from Enjutsu.

First of all, the letter informed Ensho that Enjutsu would not be intending the wedding. She had some business to take care of and would be too busy to go anywhere. At first, Ensho was skeptical. Enjutsu was not the kind to decline an invitation to any event. Still, Ensho was too busy to care. If Enjutsu didn't want to come, then she didn't have to.

Enjutsu was inviting them to a post-wedding feast in honor of their union. Well, at least her cousin was doing something nice for her for once. Hopefully, this wasn't another one of her pranks. The 'invisible fabric that only idiots cannot see' trick was still a sore subject for her.

Ensho also hoped Enjutsu sent a wedding present despite her absence. It better not be another prank like the 'invisible fabric that only idiots cannot see'. Ensho would be so mad if that was the case.

* * *

The Shoku Faction was gathered in the Round Table Room. They sat at the Round Table, reviewing current events.

"So, it's finally the day," said Nagata as he read the invitation. Haru and Ensho's wedding was coming soon and his faction was invited.

"Seems like they're finally tying the knot," said Komei. She had received the letter and brought it to Nagata.

"It's about time," Iori commented.

"I still can't believe they're getting married," Chou'un remarked.

"It's hard to imagine, I know," Kanu agreed.

Ensho and Haru were so different. There was no way their relationship could work as they barely had anything in common. Yet, despite their differences, they remained together and so in love.

"Well, you know what they say: 'love is blind'," Chou'un replied.

"But there will be lots of food, right?" Chouhi asked, already drooling in anticipation of all that food.

"Yes, it will be fine dining with Ensho footing the bill," Iori agreed.

According to the invitation, the feast following the ceremony included a twelve-course meal. That meant twelve different dishes.

Ryofu smiled. She looked forward to the feast and Nagata could see her eyes gleam at the prospect of so much delicious food. If Chouhi and Ryofu attended, then the cooks needed to prepare a lot of food. Whatever portions they had, they would need to triple the size for her.

"Ensho insists we bring a gift," Nagata said as he read the letter.

"I'll have something prepared," said Komei.

After the meeting concluded, as they were leaving, Iori and Nagata's LockPhones buzzed in their pockets. They took them out and they flipped them open.

It was a text message from Kenshin:

 **BACHELOR PARTY 4 MISTER KNUCKLEMAN. YOU COMING? Y/N?-KENSHIN**

The same message was sent to all the Armored War Gods.

"A bachelor party?" Nagata questioned. He had not expected that.

"Sounds like fun," Iori said.

"So, are we going?"

"We should go. We rarely ever get together outside of a crisis."

Iori was correct. Most of the time, they only gathered together if there was big trouble and needed to join forces. This time, however, they would be having a party.

And Nagata had not gone out with his male friends for a long time.

Sharing a look of agreement, the two Shoku Armored War Gods sent their replies.

* * *

While the ladies of the kingdoms were preparing for the upcoming wedding, the men had their own plans. While they lived in different kingdoms and fought together and against each other now and then, they did share a common bond which was their otherworldly origin as Armored War Gods. As such, they decided to put aside old rivalries for a time in an ancient tradition they all knew well.

The Armored War Gods held a bachelor party in one of the top bordellos in Son Go in honor of Haru's upcoming nuptial.

Why a bordello? Well, it was the only place with pretty serving girls and an atmosphere befitting for a bachelor party. It was the closest thing they had to a strip club in this day and age.

Later, they would all point fingers at each other about why they chose that spot once their significant others found out.

"A toast to Hattori-kun! Kampai!" Masataka raised his cup of expensive wine.

"KAMPAI!"

"I'm glad I ain't him. Now, he's stuck with a ball and chain!" Kenshin added jokingly, eliciting laughter from the other Armored War Gods.

"Thanks, guys. You really shouldn't have," said Haru, smiling happily.

"Come on, you're about to get married. A bachelor party is, like, tradition," said Kenshin.

"You just want to get drunk and ogle at half-naked girls," Hideyoshi snarked.

"And what's wrong with _that_?" Kenshin defended, not even denying it.

"The girls here are very professional," Masataka endorsed.

"Speaking from experience, Sempai?" Natsu asked cheekily.

"Well, let's just say, in the past, I've required their _services_ ," Masataka answered. "It was before my betrothal to Sonken-sama, I assure you."

It was actually Sonsaku who suggested it the first time, much to his mortification. Sonsaku had noticed how stressed he was and how he was earning longing looks from the maids. So with her usual blunt and open cheerfulness, she suggested that very establishment so he could relax and enjoy some benefits of his position.

Although Sonken would be royally pissed off once she found out what her sister had arranged without her knowledge. He could already imagine the angry flames blazing in her eyes.

Kenshin was checking out the bordello girls. Hideyoshi had tried scolding him, reminding him of his relationship with Kayu, but that fell flat. Kenshin and Kayu were more 'Friends with Benefits' than any kind of romantic relationship that the others enjoyed. He thought Kayu was hot and fun to hang around with, and Kayu thought the same, but neither were ready for any kind of real relationship or commitment.

Speaking of which, Kenshin knocked back more wine with a grin at Masataka's comment.

"Well, can't blame you. The babes here are _super fine_!"

"So, does that mean you'll be the next to tie the knot?" Nagata asked Masataka.

"Perhaps," Masataka answered. To be honest, he was actually looking forward to that. "But tonight it's all about Hattori-kun."

"And getting wasted!" Kenshin raised his cup after filling it again.

"Yes, that too."

Soon, several girls came on stage and started to perform an erotic dance. The male patrons cheered as they enjoyed the show. Even the ones in relationships cheered. Normally they wouldn't be so outspoken, but it was a special night and they all had permission for however long the party lasted.

"Watch that girl jiggle and how she's shaking her hips!" Kenshin cheered. "Man, what I wouldn't pay to just motorboat her!"

"The dancers are courtesans too," Masataka informed Kenshin. "If you want, I could arrange for you to spend some time alone with her."

"Oh, sweet!"

Hideyoshi rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to wait for Kenshin and would instead head back home once the party was over. Kenshin would no doubt brag about the night he spent with a high-class courtesan, going into explicit detail while Hideyoshi would just tune him out.

* * *

It was finally the day of Haru and Ensho's wedding. White banners with the En Family seal and/or Haru's personal crest were planted all over the city. The people were excited, waiting for the parade which would bring the two across the city to celebrate their union. Haru's arrival had been a blessing for the people and his upcoming marriage was the social event of the year. Everyone wanted to be there, if only for the celebrations even if they weren't going to be part of the wedding itself.

Inside his room, Haru was working on his outfit. It was formal Chinese wedding attire, although the colors were in brown and orange, his signature colors. Perhaps not one of the usual colors for a wedding, but it fits his theme and personality, which meant that it would be accepted. No doubt Ensho would have something bright and flashy to offset Haru's own darker, earthy colors so it would balance out.

"Stupid ties," Haru muttered as he fiddled with the ties of his outfit. He hated formal attire so much, but this was one day he wouldn't try to back out of it. As he continued to curse the confining clothes, there was a knock on his door. "Come in!"

"Haru-sama," Ganryo said as she entered his personal chamber.

"Hey, Toshi," Haru greeted as he turned from the mirror to face her. He was glad for the distraction, both because it kept him from fiddling with his clothes and also because it could help him deal with his rising nervousness.

He was getting _married_! He could barely believe it himself.

Ganryo approached him and helped him to properly fasten the ties of his wedding outfit. He needed to look presentable for Ensho.

"There, it's fixed."

Haru checked himself in the mirror and smiled approvingly.

"Thanks, Toshi. This has been driving me nuts."

"You must feel pretty nervous, huh?"

"Yeah, can't believe the day's finally here. Time really flies, huh? So, what brings you over?"

Ganryo fiddled with her hands, looking at the floor and then at Haru.

"I just wanted to come and see you. You look nice."

"I gotta look my best. It's a special occasion. You don't get married every day," Haru shrugged, trying to remain calm.

"Yes, it is indeed a special day, for you and Reiha-sama."

Haru blinked, noticing that despite the upbeat atmosphere, Ganryo seemed to be almost depressed about something.

"Is something wrong?"

Ganryo gasped, vehemently shaking her head.

"Oh, no! Everything is fine! Preparations are going smoothly!"

Haru was not convinced.

"Toshi...you know if there's something wrong, you can just tell me. If you need help with anything, I'll do it."

Ganryo blushed as she played with her fingers. She averted her gaze, looking down at the floor.

"It's just-" Ganryo started.

"Hey, Haru-sama! The ceremony is about to start!" Bunshu yelled, bursting into the room and interrupting Ganryo. "You don't wanna keep Reiha-sama waiting! You know how she hates to be kept waiting!"

"Coming, Iishe!" Haru answered. "Toshi, were you going to tell me something?"

"It's...it's nothing. You should go. Reiha-sama's waiting for you."

"We'll talk later, OK?"

Haru left the chamber so he could get to the ceremony.

Ganryo sighed.

"You know, you gotta let this go," said Bunshu, looking sadly at her friend. "Haru-sama and Reiha-sama are getting married."

"I know, but I just wanted a chance to tell him how I feel."

"What would be the point?"

Ganryo couldn't answer.

"Look, I understand, Toshi. You love the guy, but you can't have feelings for him. If Reiha-sama even suspects you're trying to steal Haru-sama from her, she'd have your head."

While having formal concubines or mistresses was an acceptable practice, it was one that Ensho did not embrace. When she was in a relationship, she wanted all her partner's focus on only her, not split between herself and multiple women. Bunshu guessed that attitude came from witnessing some of the rather bitter marriages her relatives had where one would rather mingle with their lovers rather than make a real marriage work.

Ensho was, if anything else, a romantic at heart.

"Why does this have to be so hard?" Ganryo mumbled.

"I don't know. I really don't know what to tell you." Bunshu shook her head. "Maybe if Reiha-sama wanted you to share their bed too then you'd have a chance, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't swing that way."

"I know…" Ganryo groaned.

* * *

Usually, a wedding procession would take place _before_ the wedding. However, as Haru resided with Ensho, there was no need for that. Instead, they decided to go straight to the ceremony and have the procession take place after the feast.

The ceremony would be held in the grand hall. Attending the ceremony were all the factions of the Alliance and various guests from noble families.

There was an altar set with figurines of the celestial gods, the En clan patron gods and the shrine of the En clan ancestors. Both Haru and Ensho knelt before the shrine and paid their respects to Ensho's ancestors before paying their respects to each other.

"Reiha-chan, I swear to be a good husband to you. I will be loyal and faithful to you, sharing our happiness together. I will protect you from all danger that would threaten you and be at your side when you need me. In the best of days or the worst of days, I will be there. From this day forth until the day I die, I will be by your side."

"Haru-sama, you have been there for me since the beginning, and so I also swear to be a faithful wife to you. I will be your source of strength and to be an emotional pillar for you. Whenever you feel lost or unsure, I will be at your side to remind you of your place in my heart."

The two exchanged tea cups, drank them, and then shared a kiss.

And their guests all applauded.

After the wedding ceremony concluded, the bride and groom, as well as all their guests, moved to the banquet hall for the wedding feast. Ensho spared no expense on food or wine. Only the best was served for her special day. It was extravagant but totally worth it.

Nagata went up to the bride and groom's table to congratulate Haru.

"Congratulations, Haru," Nagata said as he shook Haru's hand.

"Thanks, man. Maybe next time you'll invite me to your wedding," Haru replied.

Nagata blinked. His own wedding. He looked over to his harem who were enjoying the meal and frowned contemplatively. How would he get married? Would it be a big wedding with him as the groom and multiple brides? Or would he marry each of them one at a time so they could all have their own special day?

"Nagata? Buddy?" Haru asked, shaking Nagata out of his thoughts of multiple weddings, and then multiple honeymoons.

"Uh, what?"

"You kinda spaced out there."

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about something."

"What were you thinking about?"

"It's not important. Today's _your_ day."

"Yeah, I'm now _officially_ with Reiha-chan," Haru grinned. In some ways, he wondered what the hell he was doing, but on the other, he felt damn smug. So much for all those people back home saying he'd never amount to anything. Now he was a big-time hero with a princess for a wife!

Ha! Take that, Naysayers!

Sousou watched from her table which she shared with Mitsuki, Juniku, Kakoton and Kakoen. She watched as Ensho happily accepted congratulations from guests for her marriage.

"Feeling a bit jealous, Loli?" Mitsuki asked.

Sousou scoffed.

"Me? Jealous of Ensho? Are you kidding?" Sousou replied. "Why would I ever want to tie myself down by getting married?"

"You know she'll rub this in your face."

"Like I care."

"I didn't even think Knuckle-dono could ever stomach Ensho's presence beyond tolerance," Juniku commented. "By all logic, they shouldn't even be together."

"It's surreal, alright," Kakoen agreed. "They have nothing in common. He loves to fight and she complains about dirt."

"It just proves that love does not have to be logical."

"I could've told you that," Kakoton remarked.

"Ensho's changed since they met," Sousou said. "I mean, she's still the same egotistical diva, but she's less selfish now."

"Hattori just brings out the best in Ensho and she's doing all she can to be the kind of person that is worthy to be his wife," Mitsuki concluded. "Hattori may not be the brightest, but out of all of us he has the biggest heart."

"Well, when you put two idiots together, it's always the nicer idiot who wins," Juniku concluded.

Sousou wondered, though, what it would be like to have a partner like that. Her gaze wandered towards Nagata.

Marcus sat at a table with the Chou Sisters and dabbed his eyes with a napkin.

"Oh, I always cry at weddings..."

At Kosonsan's table, she repeatedly stabbed at her food with her chopsticks.

"Something wrong, Kosonsan-sama?" Sasuke asked, worriedly.

"It's not fair. Ensho found a great guy, who also happens to be an Armored War God, and now she's marrying him," Kosonsan whined.

Sasuke blinked then gently moved her cup of wine aside.

"I think you've had too much to drink already."

"Is there anyone for me? I mean, look at Touka. Yeah, no surprise that she's one of the lovers of the _Musou Seiryuoh_. Seriously, am I not pretty enough?"

"Kosonsan-sama, I think you are pretty."

"Really? You're not just saying that, are you?"

"I am sincere."

"You're such a great guy. I wish I found you earlier."

* * *

The Chou Sisters performed a special love song for the newly wedded couple. It truly captured the love shared between Haru and Ensho loved each other.

Bunshu was happy that Ensho and Haru finally tied the knot, but Ganryo was trying her best to hide her disappointment and heartbreak.

Ensho still wanted to end her special day with a big bang. So, it was only appropriate that they had a parade to celebrate. The people of Ensho's city lined the streets as the procession walked by.

Ensho and Haru were both riding atop a decorated elephant together, waving to all their citizens. Fireworks also exploded brightly in the evening sky.

"I love you, Haru-sama."

"I love you too, Reiha-chan."

Ensho and Haru smiled at each other and shared a kiss. It truly was a wedding to remember for them.

* * *

The festivities wound down and everyone went to their guest rooms and inns to sleep off the food or enjoy their own romances. Ensho and Haru happily retired to _their_ room.

Haru lay back, drowsy from the food, wine, and fun, but he didn't want to go to sleep before Ensho settled down with him. The curly-haired blonde was in her robe, brushing her hair before she would join her new husband in bed.

"It's too bad Miu couldn't come," Haru commented. As bratty as Enjutsu could be, she was getting better and it would have been nice if one of Ensho's immediate family members could attend. Her parents were off on one of their frivolous adventures (and Haru hadn't even met them yet) while her only relatives were distant cousins and relatives who wanted to brown-nose, had nothing better to do, or just wanted the free food and to party.

"Indeed, it was rude of her to decline my invitation," Ensho huffed as she brushed her hair. Bicker as they did, she did consider Enjutsu one of her closest relatives so it stung that she couldn't attend the wedding.

Haru sat up, hearing Ensho's tone.

"At least she sent us a gift and invited us over for a post-wedding celebration at her place."

"To make up for her absence, but I guess we should accept her invitation even if she could not attend our special day," Ensho nodded. She would still be upset that Enjutsu didn't show up, but at least she got the lavish feast her cousin would no doubt hold in her and Haru's honor after the wedding.

Throwing the thought aside, she got up from her vanity mirror and walked towards the bed. As she walked, she undid the belt and discarded her robe, revealing herself to him fully.

He appreciated the view.

"Now then _Airen_ , I believe we have the first night of our honeymoon to enjoy."

Haru's grin could have lit up the room.

Tonight they were going to show their appreciation to each other as husband and wife.

* * *

Enjutsu was busy admiring her collection. While many believed that she had horrible taste, nobody was vocal about it lest they anger her. She was a spoiled brat who only recently started to use her money to help the people instead of satisfying her own desires. However, if anyone were to cross her, they would suffer her wrath.

She still collected things that earned her interest and attention so anything that she thought was beautiful would make a good decoration in her castle.

Her latest acquisition was the Seal of Heaven. It was brought to her by Sadako and it stood proudly on its own pedestal as the centerpiece of her collection. Enjutsu would stare at it for days.

"Mine...all mine... _ **my**_ _ **precious**_..." giggled Enjutsu as she gazed madly into the eyes of the Seal of Heaven. "All mine...soon everything will be... _ **all**_ _**mine**_..."

Chokun watched from outside the door. Now she was truly worried for her mistress. The Seal of Heaven was doing something to her mind.

Chokun needed to warn somebody and knew that she had to do it quickly before this spiraled out of control and caused another incident.

"See something interesting?"

Chokun gasped and whirled around to see Sadako. She had been standing behind her.

"Oh, Duchess-dono! You startled me!"

"Relax, take deep breaths. So, what were you doing?"

"I was doing _nothing_!"

"Really? Because it looks to me that you were spying on Enjutsu-sama."

"I wasn't spying. I was merely watching her out of concern."

"Concern...I see."

"It's just she's been spending so much time looking at the Seal of Heaven."

"Well, it is a masterpiece. Special and one of a kind. It is the physical embodiment of the Mandate of Heaven. The one who holds it becomes ruler of the land. But you should know this. You grew up on the stories."

"Yes, I just think it's having a negative effect on her."

"Oh, you shouldn't worry too much. She's just a child who is entranced by a brand new toy. She'll get bored with it, soon enough."

"Perhaps...perhaps you have a point. Miu-sama's interests change all the time. She'll be bored with it, hopefully. In the meantime, I should stay here and watch her."

Sadako's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, you do that. Someone has to make sure she doesn't accidentally hurt herself while playing. I would hate to see you get punished for neglecting your duties."

* * *

The En Faction arrived at Enjutsu's residence a week after the wedding. Immediately, they were ushered into the banquet hall where a feast was prepared for them.

It was as grand as Enjutsu had promised.

"Thank you all for coming," Enjutsu greeted. "Please enjoy the feast I had prepared for you."

"That's very gracious of you, Miu," replied Ensho as her group sat down at the table. The table was laden with an assortment of delicacies. It seemed Enjutsu made sure her chefs prepared the very best.

It still couldn't compare to the feast at Ensho and Haru's wedding.

Haru enjoyed the meal very much. Living with Ensho had truly spoiled him. It was unlikely that he ever had anything so exquisite or extravagant until he started living with Ensho. However, he remained down to earth and would not allow such luxuries to change him.

At the end of the meal, Miu raised her cup.

"I'd like to make a toast and congratulate you on your marriage, Reiha-neesama and Haru-niisama."

"Thanks," Haru smiled. "I mean, I know we talked about waiting a bit longer, but life is short and we don't know what will happen."

"Indeed, and we are in love, so it only makes sense that we make it official as soon as we could," added Ensho.

"That's sweet. Anyway, I didn't just invite you over to celebrate your marriage. I actually wanted to show you something," said Enjutsu. She clapped her hands and summoned her maids who carried a box into the banquet hall.

"Oh, a present for me?" Ensho asked as her eyes sparkled.

Enjutsu gestured to the maids to open the box.

Finally, its content was revealed to them.

The En Faction jumped out of their seats at the sight of the item.

"The Seal of Heaven!" Ganryo cried.

"But that's impossible!" Bunshu yelled.

"How can this be!?" Denho exclaimed.

"Miu, where did you get this?" Ensho demanded.

Haru was silent.

He had a very bad feeling about this and he knew better than to ignore his gut.

"As you can see I now possess the Seal of Heaven," said Enjutsu. "As for how I got it, it's all thanks to my advisor. Allow me to introduce her."

Entering the banquet hall was a beautiful young woman with fair skin, a slim figure, slanted green eyes and wavy lavender hair that was tied up in a ponytail. Her attire consisted of a sleeveless purple kung fu robe that reached down to her knees, with a pair of black shorts, revealing a pair of long, slim legs that were covered in black stockings. She wore brown shoes on her feet. The robe was tight, showing off her curvaceous figure. Strapped around her waist was a belt with a thin sword sheathed at her side.

"This is Sadako Ryoma," Enjutsu introduced. "My _new_ advisor."

"I am honored to meet you all," Sadako greeted, but there was a tone of insincerity in her voice.

"I wouldn't have the Seal of Heaven if it weren't for her," Enjutsu explained.

"Where's your usual advisor, Miu-sama?" Ganryo asked as she noted Chokun's absence since their arrival. It was usually Chokun's job to greet and announce guests for Enjutsu, but they were greeted by generic castle staff instead.

"Chokun-san couldn't be with us today. She's a bit _preoccupied_ ," Sadako explained with a smirk.

Haru didn't like that smirk.

"So, how exactly did you find the Seal of Heaven anyway?" Haru asked.

"Oh, it found me, really. It just fell into my lap," Sadako answered.

"You're lying," Haru accused.

"Haru-niisama!" Enjutsu cried in protest.

"Oh?" Sadako cocked an eyebrow.

"Last time I heard, the Seal of Heaven fell into the hands of the RinJyuKen Akugata."

"Yes, that's true," Ensho recalled. She could not forget it, nor the reaction she had to the news. "Then...that can only mean..."

"You're working with _them_ , aren't you?" Haru accused Sadako.

Sadako sighed before giving them a sneer.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you _fools_ to figure it out."

"Miu, how could you do this!?" Ensho looked to her cousin, feeling betrayed.

Enjutsu's eyes lit up as she smiled.

"How? It's simple! The Seal of Heaven has chosen me! That makes me the new **Empress**!"

The En Faction was shocked by the declaration.

"Miu, what are you saying!?"

"I'm saying that, from today onwards, I am the new ruler of China! Anyone who does not submit to me will be punished!"

"Miu, this is madness!"

"Madness? No, this is destiny!"

"Reiha-chan, I don't think that's Miu talking anymore. I think we have to get out of here, _now_."

"Guards!" Enjutsu ordered and the guards quickly blocked the exits. "None of you are going anywhere!"

"Oh, and you think your guards can stop me, little Miu?" Haru challenged as he strapped on his SengokuDriver and activated his signature Lockseed. "Henshin!"

 **[KURUMI! LOCK ON! KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!]**

Haru had transformed into the Ultimate Fist, Armored War God Knuckle.

"Haru-sama is right! Your guards are no match for him! It would be suicide!" Ensho argued.

"I don't want to get their blood on my hands," Knuckle added. He didn't want to kill the guards for just doing their job.

Instead of being intimidated, Enjutsu just laughed. It was unnerving to watch her cackle like a maniac.

"Oh, Reiha-neesama! It's funny how you think that you're the only one here with an Armored War God!"

"Excuse me!?" Ensho cried.

Knuckle did not like the sound of that.

"That's right, Reiha-neesama! You see, I did not just receive the Seal of Heaven, but an Armored War God of my own!"

"You're bluffing, Miu!"

"Actually, she's not," countered Sadako as she strapped on a GenesisDriver. The sight of her with the belt shocked the visiting En Faction members.

Knuckle did not like the looks of this.

"Allow me to reintroduce my advisor, **Armored War Goddess Duchess!** " Enjutsu announced.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY!]**_

"Henshin," Sadako called as she loaded the Lemon Energy Lockseed and opened it with the Seaboll Compressor.

 _ **[LOCK ON! SODA! LEMON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

The Lemon Energy Armor Part descended from its portal and opened up before dropping on Sadako. Her Genetic Ride Wear suit formed before the Armor Part folded onto her body, forming into the same armor worn by Duke.

In this form, she was known as **Duchess-Shin**.

"How do you like my armor? It has a rather regal look, don't you agree? I especially like the cape. Adds a bit more elegance to the look and really ties it all together," Duchess-Shin said.

The sight of Sadako after her transformation caused the En Faction to gasp.

"An Armored War Goddess!" exclaimed Denho.

"What's your game, Miu!?" Ensho demanded.

"It's rather simple really, Reiha-neesama. If your Armored War God beats mine, you're all free to go. But if Haru-niisama loses, then you'll all stay as my _prisoners_."

"Don't worry, Reiha-chan. I got this," Knuckle said reassuringly as he approached Duchess-Shin. "There's no way I will lose."

Duchess-Shin just scoffed.

"You really think your crude ways are a match for _my_ elegance?"

"Elegance doesn't have a place in the ring!" Knuckle countered as he charged towards Duchess-Shin. He threw a punch but she sidestepped it. He continued swinging but missed each as Duchess-Shin used her agility to her advantage and evaded his blows.

Knuckle was becoming frustrated when he was unable to land a hit. In the meantime, Duchess-Shin just smirked as she continued to dodge his punches. It was like she was dancing around him, taunting him while slipping past his attacks with ease.

"You can do it, Haru-sama!" Ganryo cheered.

"Yeah, kick her ass!" Bunshu added.

Denho silently prayed for Knuckle's victory as Ensho chewed on her napkin.

Duchess-Shin performed a backflip, hitting Knuckle right in the jaw with her heel. As she landed on her feet, she fired multiple energy arrows at Knuckle. He used his Kurumi Bombers to shield himself from the energy arrows as he charged at her.

As Knuckle tried to ram into Duchess-Shin, she casually twirled out of the way and hit him in the back, causing him to stumble.

"What a brute," Duchess-Shin scoffed as she took out her signature Lockseed and loaded it into her Sonic Arrow.

 **[LEMON!]**

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

The bow blades pulled back and a long narrow blade, much like a rapier's extended from the tip. As Knuckle aimed for another punch, she stabbed him in the chest, sending him reeling.

"Haru-sama!" Ensho cried.

"Now _this_ is more like my style," Duchess-Shin said with a smirk as she pushed her advantage and struck him multiple times. He swung at her but she ducked and slashed him across the chest before kicking him in the same spot, sending him staggering back. She continued with a series of slashes that were too fast for Knuckle to avoid or block.

"Miu, wake up!" Ensho shouted at her cousin who ignored her. The guards prevented her from getting close to Enjutsu. Meanwhile, Enjutsu was enjoying the sight of Duchess-Shin and Knuckle fighting.

It was truly a magnificent show.

"Is this really all you can manage? How embarrassing!" Duchess-Shin taunted.

"I'll show you!" Knuckle declared as he snapped on the Genesis Core and activated his Marron Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[MARRON ENERGY!]**_

"Time for Round 2!"

 _ **[LOCK ON! MIX! JIMBER MARRON! HA-HA!]**_

Ensho felt optimistic now. This was her husband's _strongest_ form. There was no way Duchess-Shin could best him now. She was already formulating the lecture she was going to give Enjutsu for her outrageous behavior.

Knuckle hit his Cutting Blade three times, activating his strongest finisher.

 _ **[KURUMI SPARKING! JIMBER MARRON SPARKING!]**_

Knuckle punched the air, throwing two fireballs at Duchess-Shin. Instead of freezing up, Duchess-Shin had a counter already prepared.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY SPARKING!]**_

A lemon-shaped energy barrier erected itself around Duchess-Shin as she spun in place, deflecting Knuckle's attack. Then the barrier broke apart into particles of energy which then gathered in the blade of her Sonic Arrow. The Sonic Arrow returned to its normal bow shape as she took aim, pulling the shaft to stretch the bowstring.

"And the curtain falls."

 _ **[LEMON CHARGE!]**_

Knuckle raised his Marron Bombers to block, but the arrow pierced through his defense and struck him in the chest. In a flash, his armor vanished as he was thrown painfully to the floor. There was a burn mark on his chest where the bolt had hit and it hurt badly.

The En Faction was stunned.

"Haru-sama lost...?" Bunshu's eyes widened in shock.

"No..." Ganryo shook her head in despair.

"This is bad...this is very bad..." Denho trembled.

"Haru-sama..." Ensho wept.

Sadako Ryoma deactivated her armor and strode over to Haru's fallen form.

"On the ground, where you belong," she sneered as she raised her foot then stomped on his injury. He gritted his teeth to keep in a scream of pain. "Commoners like _you_ should remember _your place_!"

"Stop that! You're hurting him!" Ensho yelled.

Sadako ignored her and continued to torture Haru.

"Why don't you get off your high horse, you bitch?" Haru spat but he let out a cry of pain as she stomped on his wound again. "Kicking a guy while he's down. Really, is there no low you won't go?"

"I'll go to any lengths to remind people like _you_ of your place," Sadako shot back. "Rising above your station like you have the right. You're just a disgusting parasite."

"Bite me!" Haru spat.

Sadako ignored the biting remark and addressed Enjutsu.

"Enjutsu-sama, shall we have them taken to the dungeon?"

Enjutsu's eyes lit up as she answered, "Yes, put them in the dungeon. Let's see if some time down there will change their minds."

"Guards, seize them!" Sadako ordered and the guards moved in to grab the En Faction.

"Hey, hands off, buddy!" Bunshu said, struggled in protest.

"Let me go!" Ganryo shouted.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" Denho cried.

"Miu! Miu! This isn't right! This isn't you! MIU, WAKE UP!" Ensho screamed as she was taken away with her advisors.

Haru was also picked up and dragged away as Sadako confiscated his equipment.

"You won't be needing your _toys_ in where you're going," Sadako mocked.

"Enjoy this while you can. Sooner or later, the others are gonna make you pay," Haru warned.

Sadako rolled her eyes at his threat.

* * *

Chokun sat in her cell in the dungeon. Her clothes were dirty and she was starving. She did get fed and water to drink, but what she got was barely enough for her. Still, she endured. At least the guards didn't try to take advantage of her.

She had seen the way some of them looked at her and she would rather die than let them have their way with her.

She heard a commotion and went up to the front of her cell. Taking hold of the bars, she peered out to see what was going on.

There were loud complaints, a loud shriek that seemed familiar, and then the door of her cell was opened.

The En Faction was thrown into the cell before the door was slammed and locked.

Chokun's eyes widened in shock as she saw them.

It was Ensho, Haru, Bunshu, Ganryo and Denho.

Ensho went up to the front of the cell and screamed, "RELEASE US! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM! I AM ENSHO HONSHO, HEAD OF THE EN CLAN! RELEASE US NOW OR I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD!"

However, Ensho's screams were ignored.

"Nanano?" Haru noticed that Chokun was locked up with them.

"So, you too, huh?" Chokun saw his injury. "You're hurt, Knuckle-sama."

"Yeah, got in a fight with Enjutsu's new gal pal."

"Oh, you mean _Duchess_..." Chokun hissed.

Ensho stopped screaming at the guards once she realized it was futile. She was surprised to see Chokun locked up with them too.

"What are you doing in here, Chokun?" Ensho asked.

"Believe it or not, Miu-sama had me thrown in here," Chokun answered.

"But that can't be right," responded Ganryo in disbelief.

"What's going on, Nanano? What's made Miu so crazy?" Haru asked.

"It's not Miu-sama's fault. Ever since Duchess brought Miu-sama the Seal of Heaven, she's changed. She's become so obsessed with becoming Empress and Duchess just encourages her. I knew something was wrong and tried to stop it. I pleaded with Miu-sama to contact the Alliance and get rid of the Seal of Heaven but she accused me of treason and had me thrown in the dungeon."

"Knuckle-sama, can't you call for help from your brothers?" Denho asked. She knew the Armored War Gods had incredible powers. Maybe the others could help.

"That bitch took my gear, including my LockPhone," Haru answered despondently. "I won't be able to call anyone or get us out of here."

"Then all hope is lost..." Chokun murmured.

"No, it ain't. Look, we just have to tough it out together. So be patient. Sooner or later, the others will come and save us."

"I wish I could share your optimism, Knuckle-sama, but how will they know we're here?"

"If Miu wants to become Empress, she's going to have to convince the other kingdoms to accept her. Knowing who's in charge of those kingdoms, do you think they'll just accept Miu as Empress without a fight?"

"If I know Sousou, she'll resist with all her might," Ensho answered.

"Exactly, and if Miu tries to force them, they'll fight back. Miu will retreat back here. The other kingdoms will show up and storm this place and then they'll find us."

"So, the plan is to wait and do nothing," Bunshu summarized skeptically.

"No, the plan is to wait and trust that we'll be rescued by our friends," Haru corrected. Haru put an arm around Ensho and pulled her close in a protective embrace. He didn't like how the guards were looking at his wife.

"We're going to be here for a while then," said Bunshu.

"Best to make yourselves comfortable. Time passes faster if you don't think about it," Chokun advised.

* * *

Ukitsu stood in front of Shishi Ouin's room and knocked on the door.

"Shishi-dono, it's me."

"Ugh! Yeah, come right in, Ukitsu! Oh, yes! Take it! Take it! Take it all!"

A female cry was heard followed by Shishi's own moan of satisfaction.

"Ah...that was good..."

Ukitsu opened the door and as expected he saw Shishi sitting on his bed. Sprawled around him were nude girls. You might just call them his harem. The one that had just finished servicing Shishi was breathing heavily. She was a pretty one, with dark orange hair that was tied in pigtails. Shishi didn't bother covering himself, though Ukitsu wasn't all that perturbed. Not even the scars that ran across Shishi's chest fazed him.

"I see you're making use of your free time," observed Ukitsu.

"Yeah, and I really gotta thank you. These obedience seals really did the trick," said Shishi as he spanked the ass of one of the girls. On the small of her back were Chinese sigils.

"Well, you did say you wanted a way to manage them without harming them," said Ukitsu.

"I don't like to leave marks on their pretty faces," reasoned Shishi. "So, what did you come to see me for?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing, my friend," Ukitsu shrugged. In truth, he just wanted to ensure that Shishi was ready to move for their next operations. If he had the energy to pursue his pleasures, then obviously he was ready for action.

"I'm doing great, as you can obviously see here," Shishi said. He reached over and shook a girl with short black hair to wake up. "Hey, wake up. It's time to put that mouth of yours to work." The girl woke up and crawled over to Shishi. "That's right...take it in deep and don't forget to use your tongue." Shishi stroked her head as she orally serviced him.

Ukitsu left as soon as the lewd noises started again.

* * *

Ukitsu sat in his study. He read the reports and smiled contently. It was a good thing he had spies on the lookout for anything unusual. Any information on the Armored War Gods' activities was useful.

He may not have gotten his unstoppable weapon, but he got something just as good.

Now he had information that could bring the Musou Seiryuoh down.

Truly, this entire debacle with Bujin Gaim had its silver lining.

Honestly, Ukitsu never really expected much out of Nise. He was useful, to an extent. His fighting skills were subpar and the only thing he got going for him were his good looks. He didn't even have the confidence to use his true identity to make a name for himself. He had to steal it from a girl. However, Ukitsu could still appreciate Nise's ambition.

Nise once used Kochu to do his dirty work. The idea of kidnapping Kochu's daughter and blackmailing her into assassinating a noble's son was almost clever. She would take the fall and Nise would be credited for apprehending an assassin. He would then be rewarded for his heroic deed. Getting an Armored War God was an extra bonus as he could be used to systematically take out the rest.

He also had charisma which convinced people to fight for him. To those gullible enough to trust him, he was a heroic leader. He even managed to fool Nagata and his friends. Unfortunately, Nise got too overconfident and his plans were foiled. In the end, he revealed his true colors when his greed got the better of him. He abandoned all of his loyal men when offered a chance to work alongside General Kashin.

Once he was revealed to be a fraud and the one responsible for kidnapping Kochu's daughter, he fled with his tail between his legs like the yellow-bellied weasel he was.

Working with the RinJyuKen Akugata to achieve his goals was a huge error on Nise's part. They really didn't tolerate failure and were about to execute him. Ukitsu managed to save him by offering something he would like more than fame: revenge. When given the chance to defeat Gaim, Nise leaped onboard. He wasn't even aware that he was being used as cannon fodder.

Nise was a sucker.

And even with the power of Bujin Gaim, Nise still failed. At least when he had Zangetsu's power he was able to do something right for once. Assassinating Sonsaku and framing the real Zangetsu worked quite well in destabilizing Son Go. Unfortunately, that did not last when the real Zangetsu returned and cleared his name.

Still, Nise would not give up on his revenge. He was persistent and used the power he had to obtain his goal.

The last Ukitsu heard from him, Nise tried to kidnap Kanu.

Obviously, he failed.

Ukitsu didn't know what happened to him, nor did he care. Even his fellow Genesis Riders didn't care what happened to Nise. He could be dead, rotting somewhere for all they cared.

But then he resurfaced. His spy in Shoku informed him that Nise had returned as Bujin Gaim and had become an even more powerful and frightening being. Perhaps he could prove useful to them.

Unfortunately, they failed to recruit Bujin Gaim. They simply underestimated him as they believed he was the same old Nise as before. If he hadn't let them flee, Ukitsu believed he would've killed them all. So Ukitsu had no choice but to ally with the Armored War Gods to deal with Bujin Gaim.

While Bujin Gaim possessed Nagata, he committed terrible deeds. He burned down a tavern and restaurant after killing everyone inside. He was also responsible for starting an Inves infestation in a village.

Bujin Gaim did not leave any witnesses behind before, but then he came to Rakuyo and murdered several guards and workers in plain sight. Everyone fled in terror when they witnessed this. Soon, word would spread that the 'benevolent' and 'just' Blue King was just another 'murderous monster'.

Ukitsu was sure to use this information in his favor. His followers would just have to spread it around. There was little he needed to do to provoke them into action. After all, they were the ones who were disillusioned by the Armored War Gods who they believed caused even more pain and misery than the enemies they fought. Families of soldiers who died in battle, who didn't believe they died with honor, were easy for him to sway with his words.

* * *

"My brothers and sisters!" Ukitsu addressed his audience. "Your Armored War Gods have failed you! Your rulers have failed you! How many of you have lost sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers due to their ineptitude?"

Ukitsu watched with barely hidden glee as he captivated his audience. He so loved to delivers his sermons to the people. Like sheep, they flocked to him and listened to his every word. His words were powerful and effective, while their minds were weak and susceptible even to the slightest suggestion.

"It was said that the Messengers of Heaven would bring you peace! However, instead of peace, they pursue war! Why else would they be called Armored _War_ Gods? They only seek to fight and conquer until everything falls under their control!

"The White Devil brings with him monsters that threaten the land! And the Kingdom of Go has become a nest of these creatures! Weapons of war are also being created by them and the monsters march with the White Devil to spread this plague!

"The Crimson Enforcer burns away all those who oppose his master! You all must know the pain of losing your homes to his flames! How he cruelly burns all in his path in the name of the cruel lord he serves!

"And worst of all is the Peerless Blue King! Not only is he an Armored War God, but a ruler himself! He is also a liar! He preaches about peace, but has he once done as promised? No, because he has deceived you!"

Ukitsu continued to demonize each of the Armored War Gods, listing their 'sins' for all his audience to hear. And they completely bought it, eating up his words and considering them as dogma.

"But do not fear! There is hope, my brothers and sisters! The truth is these Armored War Gods are mortal! Thus you can avenge your fallen loved ones and make them answer for their sins! They will be punished for taking your land, your children, and your parents from you!

"That is why all of you are here! You all seek for their retribution! That is why I have gathered you all here! The White Robes you all wear are a symbol of your rebirth! Of your new Genesis! That is _our_ name, for _we_ are GENESIS!"

" **WE ARE GENESIS! WE ARE GENESIS! WE ARE GENESIS!** " the crowd chorused.

Ukitsu smiled as his audience continued to chant.

Rumors and propaganda could be just as effective as any weapon in order to destroy someone. It worked when Chojo used Totaku as a scapegoat. It would be just as easy to frame Gaim for all these atrocities. And they wouldn't need to fabricate any evidence. After all, technically, Gaim did commit those crimes. With time, mistrust towards Gaim and the Armored War Gods would grow and spread.

Only the most loyal would believe that Gaim was possessed at the time and not truly responsible, but loyalty could be swayed once people were given enough persuasion. It was all about telling people what they wanted to hear.

Soon, very soon, the people's faith in the Armored War Gods would be broken.

Nevertheless, while the Armored War Gods may lose their influence, the Four Sovereigns would still be a problem. They were still powerful and Ukitsu was aware that his group was not yet equipped to deal with them.

Fortunately, Ukitsu had found something special that could even the playing field.

* * *

The chamber's doors opened and Ukitsu entered. The instant he stepped inside, the torches lining the walls lit up with purple flames. The chamber was square-shaped with a statue standing on each corner.

These were no mere statues. In fact, these figures held more than enough power to serve Ukitsu's purposes.

The first statue resembled a man with the head of a hawk, ears of a fox, and a mane like a lion. A pair of tusks potruded from the beak. It had four dark wings spread behind it. It also had two pairs of powerful arms crossed over a muscular chest.

This was **Hundun** , the **Great Fiend of Chaos**.

The next statue resembled a ram-like being with sharp teeth, red eyes and a body covered in a black wooly coat. Its face was human-like, but with a menacing expression, with tusks sticking out of its mouth.

This was **Taotie** , the **Great Fiend of Gluttony**.

The following statue was a tiger-like creature with a dragon's face. It had an impressive mane with a crown of demonic horns. It also had a pair of insect-like wings on its back.

This was **Taowu** , the **Great Fiend of Confusion**.

The final statue was similar to Taowu, as it was a tiger-like being as well. However, that was as far as similarities went. It had the horns of a buffalo on its head and the wings of an eagle on its back.

This being was known as **Qionqi** , the **Great Fiend of Deviousness**.

The four statues represented the **Four Great Fiends** , the very antithesis of the Four Sovereigns.

Speaking of statues, Ukitsu had finished preparing his Terracotta Soldier army. With an immortal, invincible army at his command, he would finally accomplish his plans. However, there was no harm in stacking the deck, which was why he was going to need the Four Fiends' power.

With the Armored War Gods and their people about to clash with each other, the interlude to a great war had just begun.

And the Armored War Gods would finally fall.

* * *

 **KRC:** Congratulations Haru and Ensho for finally getting married! I mean, it's been hinted to happen since Season 1, but it finally happened. I guess it's just about time to see it, and the happy lovebirds are now officially hitched. Would we see changes in the relationship? I really don't think so. Besides making it official, little will change. He's always lived with her, slept with her, but the only thing that's changed is that he's now her husband.

But then, when all seems good and dandy, Enjutsu declares herself Empress as she possesses the Seal of Heaven. So, now the members of the En Faction are Enjutsu's prisoners. What will Enjutsu do now as she has declared herself Empress? Will she attempt to take over China and subjugate the other kingdoms? She's going to face opposition.

And we also have Ukitsu riling up the people. He's going to turn the people against the Armored War Gods and he's doing a pretty good job at it too if I do say so myself. Soon it will be the time to strike and he will destroy his enemies once and for all. He has a Terracotta Army and has something planned for using the Four Fiends' powers as well. Can the Armored War Gods stop Ukitsu's plans?

Now for the reviewers. I encourage constructive criticism that can facilitate improvement in my writing. It shows you care about the story and think it can do better to improve. I promise to consider it and improve my writing. **Forever Red** , thanks for complimenting my grammar. I will improve the narrative. **D-Generation XX** , thanks for sticking around even if you nearly gave up on this story several times. **Dark Knight Vergil** , I will try to lessen the 'special snowflake' treatment. But at this point, it is still a challenge.

Ultimately, I will decide how the story goes. I'm just doing this for fun after all. I write because I enjoy it, to create something readers can enjoy.

 **TFP:** And now we see the darkness rising again, only this time more determined than ever. Instead of schemes and monsters, Ukitsu now plans for a true war now that he sees the advantage is his. With the Armored War Gods being dealt numerous blows and a new patsy holding the Seal of Heaven, things are going to become worse before they can get better.

* * *

In Shoku, the charred pieces of Bujin Gaim's Lockseed were dug up and gathered by Jam.

Ukitsu had asked her to collect the pieces of Bujin Gaim's Lockseed. She had no idea what he had planned for them, but he swore that whatever it was would be able to help her achieve her dream. Convinced that she would get what she desired, she would deliver these pieces of Bujin Gaim's Lockseed to Ukitsu so he could use his magic on them.

Once she had collected all the pieces, she dissolved into a swarm of insects which flew silently into the night.

Meanwhile, Marika stood in the middle of the Bloody Canyon. One of the bloodiest battles in Sou Gi's history took place here. She could sense the residual energy that surrounded this place.

Kneeling down on the spot, she gathered up the pieces of the Red Banana Lockseed and Black Baron's SengokuDriver. Ukitsu had asked her to retrieve them for him. Marika didn't question why Ukitsu wanted them. All she had to do was obey and deliver them to him.

Elsewhere, a poor man frantically ran through the forest while his pursuer was stalking him at a leisurely pace. The man looked behind him. There was still some distance between them, but he was desperate to gain more so he could get away.

It was pretty dark and without knowing where he was the helpless man had trouble navigating. However, his lack of direction did not deter him as he kept running and running, looking for a way out.

He tripped on a log and fell to the ground. Crawling on his hands and knees, he got back to his feet and turned to see that his pursuer was right in front of him. He reeled backward in fright.

"Please...I just want to go back to my family!" he begged.

"I'm afraid that's no longer possible," his pursuer answered as he pointed at the man's arm. "Look at what you've become."

The man raised his right arm and gritted his teeth as he saw the green appendage and the claws growing out of his fingertips.

"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" the man screamed. His eyes flashed in anger and he let out a roar as he transformed into a monster. His body was covered in green armor-like skin and he had spikes growing down his spine. His head looked reptilian with frills on either side of his neck.

He let out a snarl and lunged at his pursuer. His pursuer retaliated and struck the beast, sending him to the ground with an explosion of sparks.

The clouds cleared away from the moon and its light shone down on the pursuer. He wore red armor with a bow in hand and horns crowning his head.

This was Armored War God Tyrant.

The Lizard Inves hissed as it climbed to its feet and opened its mouth to spit fireballs at Tyrant. Tyrant spun and deflected the fireballs with his Sonic Arrow before he retaliated with powerful shots, piercing the Inves' skin with his bolts. He then jogged towards the Lizard Inves and slashed it repeatedly before sending it flying with a kick.

 _ **[LOCK OFF!]**_

Tyrant unloaded the Dragon Fruit Energy Lockseed from his GenesisDriver before loading it into his Sonic Arrow.

 _ **[LOCK ON!]**_

He pulled the Sonic Arrow's shaft, stretching the string as it siphoned energy from the Dragon Fruit Energy Lockseed. He leveled the weapon on the Lizard Inves as it caught its second wind and it lunged at him. He released and fired a concentrated energy bolt straight at the Lizard Inves.

 _ **[DRAGON FRUIT ENERGY!]**_

The bolt grew and morphed into a gigantic dragon made of red energy. It roared as it slammed into the Inves, obliterating it with a powerful explosion.

Tyrant removed the Dragon Fruit Energy Lockseed from his Sonic Arrow before closing it to cancel his transformation. He watched as the embers began to fade for a moment, a look of contemplation on his face.

The poor man, unfortunately, had taken a bite from the forbidden fruit and paid the price. He had to be put down.

Sasuke had no choice.

Since he was done for the night, Sasuke listlessly went on his way.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #17: THE POWER OF LOVE!**

Knuckle, Gridon, and Ryugen were in trouble. They were on their last leg while facing a Beetle Warrior Gestalt. It had taken everything they had, but it had yet to take any real damage.

"Guys, this is bad," said Knuckle.

"We've given him everything we got," said Ryugen.

"I don't think we'll be able to win," said Gridon.

"YOOOOOOOOUNG WARRIOOOOOOOORS!" Brusa Li bellowed loudly as he suddenly appeared on the battlefield.

"Hey, old man! Get out of here! It's dangerous!" Knuckle yelled.

"Young Warriors, you must listen to me! To defeat this foe you must use the power...of _love_."

"The power...?" Ryugen started.

"Of _love_?" Gridon finished, perplexed.

"The power of love?" Knuckle repeated. "I see! Guys, we need to use our most powerful attacks!"

Gridon and Ryugen looked at him in surprise.

"A-Are you serious?" asked Gridon. He never thought they would have to resort to _that_.

"As a heart attack!" Knuckle confirmed.

Ryugen considered their odds and agreed it was the only way to defeat the Beetle Warrior Gestalt.

"We have no choice if we want to survive this!" said Ryugen. "Start us off, Knuckle!"

Knuckle nodded and turned to glare at the Beetle Warrior Gestalt, fueled by determination.

"Alright, big guy! Prepare to taste the power of our LOVE!"

Knuckle charged, his Kurumi Bombers glowing with an unknown energy.

"MY WIFE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD… PUNCH!"

Knuckle's fist struck the Beetle Warrior Gestalt, sending it staggering back and cracking its chest.

"Gridon!" Knuckle called out to the Ultimate Hammer.

Gridon launched himself at the Beetle Warrior Gestalt, his Donkachi brimming with energy.

"I HAVE THE CUTEST GIRLFRIEND IN THE WORLD… IMPACT!"

He smashed his Donkachi against the Beetle Warrior Gestalt's head, sending it spinning.

"Ryugen! Finish it now!" Gridon shouted.

Ryugen's visor flashed as he aimed his Budou Ryuhou. Energy gathered in the muzzle as he leveled his firearm at the Beetle Warrior Gestalt.

"MY DAUGHTER IS THE CUTEST LITTLE GIRL IN THE WORLD… SHOT!"

Twin dragons made of violet energy burst out of his gun when he pulled the trigger and shot towards the Beetle Warrior Gestalt. The twin dragons fused together to form an apparition of Ryugen's stepdaughter, Riri, with her small fist aimed at the gestalt. The spectral shot blasted a hole right through the Beetle Warrior Gestalt like a cannonball.

The three Riders victoriously turned their backs to the Beetle Warrior Gestalt as it fell to pieces and exploded.

"YATTA! THE POWER OF LOVE!" Knuckle cheered as he raised his fists.

"Thank you, old man...?" Gridon looked around to see the strange old man had vanished. "Hey, where did he go?"

"He just vanished," said Ryugen.

"No, there he is," Knuckle pointed as he spotted Kada leading the strange old man away.

"Brusa-sennin, don't wander around like that," Kada scolded.

"Do you have my soup?" Brusa Li asked.

* * *

 **AND NOW FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF THE AWG SPECIAL:**

Years ago, Yang Oda lost her sister and brother-in-law, but also gained a son. She raised her late sister's son like her own, but then he just vanished one day without even saying goodbye.

He left them a letter, explaining why he needed to go. She still kept the letter as a way to remember him. She didn't understand why he had to leave, but only that he said that it was important. That he had some kind of mission. Why couldn't he have talked to her about it?

It was almost a year since he vanished along with those other kids when monsters suddenly appeared and those same kids and her son transformed into Kamen Riders. It was crazy, but it was happening, though there were people who believed it to be some kind of hoax or publicity stunt. Even the reporters had talked to the actors and suit actors about this incident, and they denied any claims that they pulled this, when the monsters attacked, baffling the public even more.

Some people just couldn't accept the impossible and extraordinary, and just needed to rationalize everything to maintain a sense of normalcy. It was how humanity could recover from such tragedies and move on.

Yang stepped into the cafe and spotted Weiss Yukihime sitting at a table. It wasn't hard to spot her. The snow white hair was a dead giveaway, and the woman always seemed to carry a presence of sophistication which made it easy for Yang to pick her out from a crowd.

"Hey, Ice Queen!" Yang called out cheerfully.

Weiss immediately grimaced at the accursed nickname but cracked a smile soon after. "Hello, Yang."

Taking a seat, Yang smiled at her friend. "So, Blake called you too, huh?"

"She did. She really didn't say much except to just come here," said Weiss as she drank her coffee. "We might be waiting for her, so you might as well order something."

"You pay?" Yang asked.

"Pay it yourself," Weiss retorted.

"Still so cold as ever, Ice Queen," Yang teased.

"And you're still an insufferable blonde," Weiss retorted.

"Good, you're both here," said Blake Kurogami as she suddenly appeared at their table.

"Gah!" Weiss cried out in shock.

"Freaking ninja! Don't do that, Blake!" exclaimed Yang.

"Sorry, force of habit," Blake apologized. But she wasn't really sorry.

"When you called us, you sounded urgent," Weiss recalled.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Yang asked. "What was so important that you couldn't say it over the phone?"

"Remember how Nagata disappeared?" Blake asked. Hearing those words alone caused both Weiss and Yang to sigh. Nagata had been gone for nearly a year. He just vanished without a trace. There was no clue of where he went or any indication that he was still alive.

Ever since the news got out about real costumed heroes and monsters, people have been trying to find out more about them.

"My son just vanished and left a letter," Yang reminded Blake bitterly.

"Sorry," Blake apologized. "I didn't mean to open old wounds."

"So, why did you call us then?" Weiss asked.

Blake took out her tablet and showed them what was on the screen.

"I want you to read this," Blake said.

"Blake, I swear if it's your smut again..." Yang started.

"It's not smut. It's erotica and it's beautiful," Blake interrupted defensively. "And no, this is something else."

"" **Sangokuden: Armored War Gods Saga"**?" Yang and Weiss read the title with questionable looks.

"It's a web novel I found online," Blake explained.

"So, you asked us to come just to recommend something for us to read?" Weiss cocked an eyebrow. "What is this? _Fanfiction_?"

"No, read _this_ chapter," Blake urged.

Yang read the first passage and then her eyes widened in interest as she kept reading. Weiss read it too.

"This is...this is..."

"It's about Nagata and those other teens who disappeared," Blake finished. "Either someone is making up stories about them, or someone knows what's going on and is writing about it here."

"Do you know who?" Yang asked.

"I've managed to track down the author. The author uses a pen name but I managed to find out who it is and found an address," said Blake.

"Well, who is it?" Weiss asked insistently.

"You're not going to believe it."

 **TO BE CONTINUED IN SANGOKUDEN AWG SAGA 6.5 SPECIAL: HUNT FOR THE HEISEI RIDER LOCKSEEDS!**


	26. Fallen Dragon Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

Some time after the Four Sovereigns and Ryugen's _tragic_ late night visit to Rakuyo, the Armored War Gods assembled at Shoku's Round Table. They each took a seat. They rarely got to meet, and when they did it was not usually a social call.

They should consider meeting without there being a crisis. They could hang out like a group of normal guys. Unfortunately, anything that could be considered normal for them was stripped away the day they were spirited away to Ancient China.

They did, however, take comfort in whatever peace they were given in these troubled times. Unfortunately, it would seem their peaceful days were going to come to an end real soon.

"So you all visited Rakuyo? Must have been rough. Especially for you, Nagata. I mean, the place burnt down while you were leading the Alliance-oof!"

Hideyoshi elbowed Kenshin to shut him up.

Nagata glared at Kenshin.

"Thank you, Kenshin. I _love_ to be constantly _reminded_ of my _failures_ ," Nagata responded sarcastically.

"Let's focus on why we're all here," said Masataka. "Now, how about we review on what we know so far."

"We all know the RinJyuKen have the Seal of Heaven," said Iori.

"Which they used for their ritual," added Hideyoshi.

"They also killed everyone that was in Rakuyo," continued Mitsuki.

"Why did they need to kill everyone?" Haru interjected.

"Because the RinJyuKen are evil sadistic douchebags and it's their MO," Natsu deadpanned. " _Obviously_."

"Or they needed all the blood sacrifices," Masataka countered. "It was a ritual to revive Dai Shi after all."

"What I don't get is how you all knew about this ritual and when it was taking place," said Ichiro.

"We found out from a dream," Nagata stated.

The Armored War Gods who were not there to stop the ritual silently turned their heads to stare at Nagata after his statement.

" _...What?_ " the Fuma Twins asked out of united disbelief.

"It's not bullshit. We all had a shared dream and got the same message," confirmed Mitsuki.

"And who provided this message?" Marcus asked.

"He called himself 'Brusa Li'," Iori answered. "I know I heard it somewhere before."

"And has this 'Brusa Li' contacted you all since that night?" inquired Karasu.

"No," Mitsuki answered as he crossed his arms.

"I wish we knew someone who could tell us where he is," said Nagata. "It would make finding him and talking to him easier. He seems to have all the answers."

* * *

Meanwhile, Kada was examining a patient when he sneezed. He rubbed his nose and shrugged.

"Take these herbs with your tea. I'm sure your nose and throat will clear right up," Kada instructed the sick villager.

"Thank you, Kada-sensei."

"Next!" Hoto called. She was volunteering as Kada's nurse. Kada did not have a uniform for her, but he did give her an apron bearing the symbol of the **WAY OF THE FIVE GRAINS**.

There were moments when the physician needed more people to help with his job. He got a lot of patients needing his help.

* * *

"We first thought the ritual had possibly failed, but we can't rule out the possibility that they succeeded or not. If they did succeed, then this Dai Shi now walks among us," said Hideyoshi grimly.

"Well, if this Dai Shi is such a badass, where is he now?" Kenshin challenged.

"If he was just revived, he could be hiding somewhere until he regains his full power. The only place he could hide is the RinJyuKen's base. Unfortunately, we still haven't found it yet," said Masataka.

"Then we keep our eyes and ears open for leads. Anything strange could be a clue. We can't let the RinJyuKen get away with the things they've done. Their victims deserve justice," declared Nagata.

Ever since his friends showed him their support, regardless of his condition, his resolve was stronger than ever. It was like tempered steel. There was no way he could turn back now.

Dai Shi was a threat and with him revived, their lives were going to get much harder. They needed to find him and stop whatever he may be planning before it was too late. Lives were at stake here. More than that so was the world.

They were brought here together for a reason, and this was it.

No matter what it cost them, they could not let the Great Death come to pass.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 18-1: Fallen Dragon (Part 1)**

* * *

Sparks flew as Ryugen was sent tumbling by a strike from Duchess' rapier. As he lay on the ground, Duchess approached him.

"Give it up, Iori-san. You can never defeat me," Duchess gloated.

Ryugen gritted his teeth as his eyes flashed. All of a sudden, reddish hell flames erupted from his body. Duchess recoiled at the sight as Ryugen stood up.

The flames dispersed violently and Duchess' eyes widened.

Ryugen had transformed into Ryugen-Yomi.

"No...No...Stay away!" Duchess trembled and screamed, "STAY AWAY!"

 **[COME ON! LEMON SQUASH!]**

Duchess leaped into the air and descended upon Ryugen-Yomi with her rapier pointed downward at him.

Ryugen-Yomi's response was to hit his Cutting Blade twice and aim his Budou Ryuhou at Duchess as she descended upon him.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI AU LAIT!]**

Duchess was violently bombarded by the explosive firepower that it knocked her out of her transformation and threw her to the ground. She lay defeated as Ryugen-Yomi stood victoriously.

Sadako shivered in terror and quickly rose to her feet. She screamed as she fled from him.

Ryugen-Yomi was not about to let her get away like that. So he shot her in the leg.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Sadako shrieked and fell from the gunshot in her leg. Twisting her body around to face him, she shook as Ryugen-Yomi approached her. "STAY BACK! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

He fired again, this time putting a hole through her left shoulder.

"AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" Sadako shrieked as she held the wound, trying to stem the bleeding. "No! Stop! I'll go away! I won't ever bother you again!" She rose up unsteadily but Ryugen-Yomi showed no mercy as he shot her once more in the thigh. She screamed as she fell again.

"You're not going to run," Ryugen-Yomi said sternly. "I want you to crawl."

"Please! Please, no!"

"Crawl."

"Iori-san, please!"

A shot flew past her head and she froze up.

"I said crawl!"

Seeing that there was no reasoning with him, Sadako started to crawl away.

As Sadako desperately tried to crawl away, Ryugen-Yomi aimed at her head and pulled the trigger.

There was a loud bang and a satisfying silence soon followed.

* * *

Iori lay peacefully asleep in bed with his wife. The scene which played out earlier was just a dream.

He had his arms around her as his head rested upon her huge and soft breasts. They were remarkable pillows.

When Iori awoke, he sat up and stretched his arms, yawning. A moment later, Kochu woke up. She lifted the blanket up to cover her modesty. There really was no point to it. It was just the two of them and he had seen her nude plenty of times.

"Good morning, Koi," Iori smiled at his wife.

"Good morning, Airen. You seem happy today," Kochu smiled back.

"I just had a very good dream, and also a good night with my beautiful wife."

"Oh, you sweet little charmer."

Kochu caressed her husband's cheek. He was just so adorably charming. She leaned in and gave him a deep and passionate good morning kiss. Iori returned the gesture with just as much passion. Their mouths were open, and their tongues explored the insides of each other's mouths before they broke apart. A line of saliva connected their lips as they gazed into each other.

"You know, it's still early. We can afford to spend a couple more hours alone together."

He put his strong arms around his wife, pulling her voluptuous body against his. Putting her arms around him to return the embrace, Kochu locked lips with her husband as they proceeded with a heavy make out session.

They kissed passionately as their hands roamed each other's bodies. When their lips broke apart, she started to lick his earlobe before she nibbled on it. In return, he planted kisses along her neck and cupped a breast. He gently pushed her back onto the bed. With no barriers between them, the married couple made love to each other.

* * *

Nagata was in the kitchen and making his morning tea when he saw Iori come in. He was whistling and marching happily.

"Hey, that smells nice," Iori said as he regarded Nagata's tea. "Could I have some?"

"Sure," Nagata replied as he poured his best friend a cup. "You seem pretty happy today."

"There's no reason I shouldn't be happy," Iori responded. "My life is perfect."

Nagata quirked a brow.

"Perfect, you say?"

"Yes, _perfect_ ," Iori emphasized. "I mean, sure, we don't have all the modern conveniences we grew up with back home, and we're in the middle of a war with an organization full of monsters, but if you look back at all the good things in your life, stuff like that just doesn't seem so bad."

Nagata knew the reason behind Iori's good mood. It was no secret.

"Let me guess, you had a _good morning_ after a _good night_ with Shion," Nagata said with a knowing grin.

"Every night I spend sleeping with my wife is just the best, and the morning after we just cuddle and do stuff," Iori answered. "Honestly, you should try it. Oh wait, you do. How was your morning?"

"Woke up between Aisha and Touka," Nagata answered. "Did you know when they snore at the same frequency that they just cancel each other out?"

"That's interesting. So, are you going to be making breakfast as usual?" Iori asked. "Want some help?"

"Sure, as long as you don't bring in a crazy chicken like last time," Nagata told Iori as he accepted his offer.

"Don't worry. I learned my lesson. I'll bring them in dead so you won't have any more issues like that."

Nagata's smile turned into a frown.

"Iori, what do you think our chances are when we eventually face Dai Shi?" Nagata asked.

The warning they got from Brusa Li implied that Dai Shi would be their most powerful opponent yet.

"As long as we're together, we can accomplish anything," said Iori optimistically. "Remember, we're stronger when we're together."

Nagata's smile returned.

"Yeah, you're right. Now, let's get breakfast ready. Remember, we need to make extra portions for Sui, Ren, and Rinrin, as usual."

"It's hard to believe they can eat so much and not get fat," said Iori, amazed by the girls' huge appetite.

"It's to be expected. They burn off the calories during training and combat."

* * *

As Iori ate breakfast with everyone at the dining table, he couldn't help but take in the entire scene. It was like a perfect portrait of a family sharing a meal together. It was completely unlike the meals he had at home.

The only times his family really dined together was during formal events or when either of his parents brought home important guests to entertain. Maintaining an image of a happy family was supposed to help them close the deal. Even when they did dine together as a family, it just felt so cold. Nobody said a word. They just ate in silence.

It had been utterly suffocating. He didn't even remember how he survived such a suffocating household. Perhaps he endured just by numbing his feelings and going through the motions. A routine helped him to live day-by-day, but could he really call it living?

At least his brother showed him warmth and caring. Ichiro attended all his archery tournaments and supported him.

Iori shook his head to brush off any unpleasant thoughts.

It was a new day, and things were looking up for him. He was also going to be a father soon as Kochu was pregnant with his child. He was initially hesitant about the idea of having a child with Kochu. He had doubts about bringing a child into these dangerous times. However, with Kochu's reassurance, he managed to get over his fears. She reassured him that he would make a great father for their soon-to-be-born child. He was already such a great father to Riri.

They have yet to tell their friends about the pregnancy. They wanted to wait for the right time and surprise them.

Later, Iori took Riri and Chouhi to the local schoolhouse. Their lessons were initially done by Kanu, but then her duties as a general got in the way. Fortunately, Suikyo-sensei agreed to take over. She was an experienced teacher and she loved children. Suikyo-sensei would teach all the local children the basics such as mathematics, writing, and history. She also added general knowledge to inform the students of current events.

"OK, Rinrin. When school lets out, bring Riri back home," Iori instructed the redhead and she gave him a salute. "Oh, and Riri, behave yourself and have fun."

Iori's parents never took him to school, except during the entrance ceremonies. The chauffeur would usually send him there. He understood. They were busy. But it would've been nice just to see them when he went to school each day. They just went to work early so he never got a chance to see them in the morning.

Damn, why was he still thinking about them? Why was he whining to himself like this? He had moved on already. He left that life behind. This was his life now.

* * *

Nagata sat in his office, trying to figure out a mystery.

Many weeks ago, Nanamomo warned him that a traitor was hiding among them.

But who could it possibly be?

It was so frustrating. He didn't want to believe that any of his friends were traitors, but did Nanamomo have a reason to lie about something like that?

He didn't want it to be true. He hated suspecting any of his friends, but if there was a traitor then infiltrating his inner circle was the best way to sabotage them or gather valuable intelligence. They would have unhindered access to their secrets and would know all their strengths and weaknesses.

He had asked Komei to help him, but even she couldn't find anything to indicate that there even was a traitor among them. Questioning their friends was out of the question too. They might just tip off the traitor that they were onto him or her.

But Komei had a theory. Nanamomo said that there was a traitor among _them_. It was possible that she did not just mean the Shoku Warriors. Maybe it was someone in the Alliance.

Maybe it was someone in one of the other factions.

It could even be one of the Armored War Gods.

That was a frightening thought, but it was also an opportunity. If there was indeed a traitor among them, they could catch him or her and find out where the RinJyuKen's base was located.

But with no leads, they had no suspects.

It was one of the many things frustrating Nagata. There were many other issues and his plate was full of them.

"I'm not even close to cracking this mystery," Nagata said while letting out a sigh. He heard a knock at his door. "Come in."

Karasu entered his office.

"Naga-kun, are you busy?"

"Hey, Kara-chan. Just catching up on some work, that's all."

"You seem troubled. Is something wrong?"

Should Nagata tell her? He wanted to keep this information among as few people as possible. But Karasu was family. There wouldn't be any harm in telling her, right?

He trusted her.

"Apparently, there might be a traitor in our midst."

Karasu's smile fell.

"A traitor? Are you sure? How did you learn about this?"

"Nanamomo-san told me."

"And you believe her."

"It was the last thing she told me before she died. I need to consider that it might be true."

"It could just be a distraction. If you're so focused on a supposed traitor, you might miss important leads. You are still trying to look for the RinJyuKen's base."

"Maybe, but I can't get it out of my head."

There was another knock on the door.

"Come in," Nagata permitted.

Kanu opened and entered, bowing to him.

"Nagata-sama, you have training with me scheduled for today."

"Oh, that's right now, huh? Sorry. I've just been so busy that I lost track of time," Nagata told Kanu before he returned his attention to Karasu. "Kara-chan, we'll talk later, alright?"

"Yes, we'll talk later," Karasu agreed.

Nagata then left the room for his training with Kanu.

"Yes, _later_..." Karasu scowled.

She planned to spend some quality time with her beloved cousin, but he always seemed so busy. His time was being taken up by his harem. How shameful. The concept was disgusting to her.

He was also aware of the traitor in their midst.

It was time to speed up her schedule.

* * *

Iori was practicing his archery to keep his skills sharp. Once the arrow pierced the center of the target, he drew another from his quiver and took aim.

He fit the arrow to the bowstring and stretched it, making sure he had the target in his sight. He released the arrow and it pierced the air at high speed before striking the target once more.

"Impressive. No wonder you won first place at every tournament," Karasu praised as she stood next to him, observing his skill.

"So, you do know about that," Iori responded.

"After Naga-kun disappeared and I saw the names of the others that vanished with him, I looked them up. When I looked up your name online, there were some articles about how you dominated the high school archery circuit. I even saw some videos. I was impressed," she stated.

"Those days are behind me now. To be honest, I won those medals and trophies to impress my parents. But they never did attend any of the tournaments I entered," he spoke bitterly.

"And now you do it because you want to."

"I do it because I want to keep the people I love safe."

"Your family."

"Exactly."

"Tokugawa-sempai, if anyone were to threaten your happiness by taking away the ones you love from you, what would you do?" Karasu asked.

"I think the answer should be obvious," Iori answered as he fired another arrow. "Eliminate the threat, no matter what."

"On that, I would agree. You know, I've practiced archery as well. It was part of my education."

"Would you like to try?" Iori offered his bow. Karasu took him up on the offer and accepted the bow. She drew an arrow from the quiver and nocked it on the string. She then pulled on the bowstring and let loose the arrow.

The arrow flew towards Iori's target. Much to his surprise, her arrow split his arrow down the middle before it hit the target.

"Looks like I haven't gotten rusty at all," observed Karasu.

"That was _impossible_ ," awed Iori. "Impossible."

"We live in an impossible situation. Just get used to it," she shrugged as she gave the bow back to Iori. "Thank you for your advice, Sempai."

As she walked away, Iori checked the target. The shot she made was amazingly impossible, and he whistled at the split arrow. It was a feat of accuracy no average human could have accomplished.

"I need to learn to make a shot like _that_ ," Iori muttered, completely impressed.

"Daddy!" Riri ran over to her father as she came home with Chouhi.

"Riri!" Iori picked his stepdaughter up. "So, how was school today? Learn anything new?"

"I learned to add numbers today, Daddy," Riri beamed. The village children loved Suikyo-sensei. She was a good teacher. She made her lessons both easy and fun.

"Really? I'm so proud of you. So Suikyo-sensei is a nice teacher, isn't she?"

"Mm," Riri nodded, beaming.

"That's good," Iori replied. "Hey, Rinrin. What about you?"

"Oh, Rinrin-neechan fell asleep during class," Riri answered.

Iori frowned in disapproval and Chouhi laughed weakly as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

"You better not do that anymore, Rinrin. Nagata and Kanu won't be happy when they hear you've been falling asleep in class," Iori warned.

Chouhi slapped her palms together.

"Please don't tell Nagata-niichan and Aisha-neechan!" Chouhi pleaded.

"I promise," Iori told her, causing her to smile. However, his next words caused her smile to fall. "But I can't speak for Suikyo-sensei. Is this problem persists, she'll tell Nagata and Aisha anyway."

Chouhi paled. She was afraid of disappointing them.

"Then I promise I won't fall asleep at school anymore!"

Iori smiled warmly.

"Good, and you better keep that promise, OK?"

"OK!"

* * *

Nagata was knocked to the ground by Kanu's kick. He rubbed his sore chest as she reached down to help him up.

"You could've dodged that, Nagata-sama," Kanu informed him.

"I know, but I couldn't help it. Every time you kick, I get a glimpse of your panties," he informed her as he took her hand so she could help him up. Kanu blushed at the observation. She couldn't deny the fact that her skirt was short.

"You shouldn't look at a lady's undergarments," she scolded him.

"Maybe not, but I appreciate the view," he smiled back and she smacked his shoulder in response, embarrassed. He rubbed his shoulder as he chuckled.

In the beginning, when she swore to serve him, she was very formal towards him. She still was to an extent, referring to him with the suffix '-sama'. Try as he might, she wouldn't change how she addressed him so he stopped trying.

But ever since they became lovers, she was more comfortable with being so casual with him, at least in private. In public, she put up the appearance as his most loyal retainer and general. However, many could see how close they were. During dates, she would allow herself to let her hair down and enjoy his company.

She was in love with him but she wasn't blind to his flaws. While she admired him, she knew he was not perfect. That was OK. Nobody was perfect, not even the Messenger of Heaven.

"OK, let's start this again," Nagata said as he went into a boxing stance. It was the bare handed fighting stance his mom had taught him.

"How's the training?" Karasu asked as she arrived at the training area.

"Just working on my hand-to-hand combat skills, Kara-chan," Nagata told her.

Karasu would argue that he didn't need to waste his time since he was already an amazing swordsman, but she was rational enough to know that he needed to sharpen his unarmed fighting skills. In combat, one could find themselves unexpectedly disarmed, so having a fallback plan was beneficial.

"The style you learned from Aunt Yang," Karasu assumed.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Mom always wanted me to try boxing. It's too bad I preferred swords."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Maybe not, but I'm still a bit rusty."

Karasu raised her hand to him, palm facing him.

"Punch my hand as hard as you can."

"OK," Nagata said as he brought his fists up and went for a straight punch into the center of Karasu's palm. She frowned and shook her head in disappointment.

"You _need_ more training, Naga-kun," she criticized. She looked to Kanu. "Please make sure he'll be able to throw a _real_ punch by the time you've finished training him."

"Yes, Idunn-sama," Kanu said as she clasped her hands together and bowed to Karasu. The Oda heiress smirked. While she disliked Kanu, the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter at least she knew her place. Too bad Karasu couldn't order her to stay away from Nagata or keep her hands off him because Kanu's loyalty and love towards him were absolute.

"Alright, Nagata-sama, let's try this again," Kanu instructed as they resumed their sparring match, fiercely exchanging blows.

Karasu stayed to watch.

* * *

Bandits were like weeds. No matter how many times and what you did to get rid of them, they always found a way to sprout elsewhere and cause trouble in the future. They would raid villages, committing murder and theft.

These times were understandably hard, forcing many to resort to a life of crime. That did not make them justified.

Ryugen and his group of archers had just taken over a fortress that was being used by bandits as their base. There were still more hiding inside, so it was up to the Demon Dragon to find them and bring them to justice.

They were likely down in the dungeon, hoping they wouldn't be found. What a bunch of fools. That was the first place Ryugen would look.

When Ryugen came upon the door, he could hear cries and moans from the other side.

Ryugen kicked the door down and he froze at the sight.

He found the remaining bandits, and so much more.

There were young women chained up against the wall and being raped in front of him. The bandits froze as they saw him, caught literally with their pants down.

Ryugen gritted his teeth at the sight.

Mercy was off the table.

* * *

The bandits were all rounded up in front of the fortress as the archers took aim with their bows and arrows. As for the women, they had been through hell because of the bandits. They were given blankets to cover themselves and were offered comfort by the sympathetic Shoku soldiers.

The bandits received no sympathy whatsoever. Some were standing, scared out of their minds. Others were on their knees as they begged for mercy while at the same time crying like little babies.

"Please, mercy!"

"I beg of you!"

"Don't kill us! We surrender!"

"We're sorry!"

"Don't do this!"

"I don't want to die!"

Ryugen turned a deaf ear to their cries for mercy. Seeing those women being abused like that, he couldn't help but picture it happening to his wife and his friends. He even feared that it could happen to his daughter.

The women probably begged the bandits not to touch them, but they were ignored. Thus, Ryugen would grant the bandits the same courtesy. He deemed them unworthy of any sort of mercy. Not one bit at all.

The only thing they deserved was death.

And so they were going to be executed by a firing squad.

"Ryugen-sama, your orders!" one of the archers requested.

The bandits still cried for mercy.

"Shoot!" Ryugen ordered and the archers let loose their arrows.

The bandits stood helplessly as the arrows flew straight towards them. They screamed in fear and agony the moment their bodies were pierced by the storm of arrows.

They fell together in a heap.

It was a truly gruesome sight, especially to the executioners, but it was satisfying nonetheless. The women watching the execution probably felt a sense of satisfaction when they witnessed the death of their tormentors.

However, there was still one last man left standing. He had survived since he had been standing way in the back of the group of bandits. The executed bandits had formed a wall, protecting him from the arrows.

"Please...please...have mercy..." the bandit sobbed as eyes trailed down his face and a visible wet spot appeared in his crotch.

What a pathetic sight.

Ryugen took a moment to look at the women. How long had they suffered, to be used as sex slaves, to be raped at the bandits' leisure and used for their pleasure?

"No mercy," concluded Ryugen as he aimed and fired his Budou Ryuhou. The man was hit right between the eyes, splattering the wall behind him with blood, bits of his skull and gray matter before he fell like the rest.

Ryugen took a moment to look at his gun. A long time ago, he could never even imagine himself killing a man. However, he had gotten used to the violence that persisted in this world and embraced it. He could either adapt or die. Furthermore, his actions now were no longer driven by his desire to please anyone. Rather, he was driven by his desire to protect his family.

"Hang the bodies up in front of the fortress as a warning and take these women back to have the doctors look at them," Ryugen ordered.

As they prepared to leave, one of the soldiers called Ryugen.

"Ryugen-sama, there's something we got that you should see!"

Ryugen walked over and saw what was so interesting.

It was an open chest full of Lockseeds.

That was not the only thing that caught his attention, however. The Lockseeds were all _identical_. They were codeless and modeled after the same red fruit.

It looked like they were based on pomegranates.

Ryugen had never seen a pomegranate Lockseed before.

How curious.

"Well, this is unexpected," Ryugen remarked as he picked up one of the pomegranate Lockseeds and examined it. "It's too bad we killed them all. We could've asked them how they got these."

"What should we do with them, sir?"

Ryugen put the Lockseed back in the chest and closed it.

"Take them back with the rest of the loot we gathered and make sure nobody touches them."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Iori returned to the castle with a sense of accomplishment. Another nest of scum was purged and the people did not need to worry about those bandits anymore. Unfortunately, he knew full well that more bandits would emerge in the future. He would have his gun ready for them.

The poor women were taken to get medical treatment and would soon be sent home to their families. The bandits had hurt them and traumatized them. Hopefully, they could get over their trauma and move on with the support of their friends and family.

Iori was glad he punished those pieces of garbage. They deserved nothing less than death.

It was just a shame he could not prolong their suffering.

* * *

Two days later, Iori was practicing his archery when Komei approached him.

"Greetings, Iori-sama."

"Hello, Shuri."

"Nagata-sama wishes to see you."

"Did he say why?"

"He just told me to tell you to come to his office."

Iori cocked an eyebrow quizzically. Normally, Nagata would inform his officers why he had summoned them. To not give them any sort of message before a meeting was odd.

"Did he say I needed to come immediately?"

"Yes."

Then it was something urgent.

"Thank you, Shuri. I'll go see him right away."

As Komei watched Iori go, she was worried. When Nagata ordered her to summon Iori, he doesn't look pleased.

* * *

Iori came to Nagata's office and knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Iori opened the door and entered Nagata's office.

"You wanted to see me, Nagata?"

Nagata was sitting behind his desk, with a hard expression on his face and his hands steepled in front of his face. It was almost like he was trying to channel **Gendo Ikari** from **Evangelion**.

"Yes, I wanted to talk you. Please, take a seat."

Iori went and sat down on the chair across from Nagata.

"So, what did you want to see me for?"

Nagata got straight to the point.

"A couple of days ago, you rescued a group of women that were being held captive by a gang of bandits. The women you rescued were treated for any injuries and sent home safely."

"Yes, I did do all that," Iori confessed. It was in the report he had given Nagata that day.

"You also had the bandits executed on the spot."

"I did," Iori confirmed. He had no problem admitting it. "Is there a problem?"

Nagata angrily slammed his palms on the table.

"Yes, there's a problem! They already surrendered and yet you decided to execute them!"

"Nagata, you weren't there. You didn't see what I saw. If you ask me, they deserved it," Iori retorted, unashamed.

"Did they deserve to have their bodies hanged in front of the fortress?" Nagata asked.

"I did that as a deterrent and to make an example out of them," Iori explained.

"That's _inhumane_!"

"Then they shouldn't have acted like _animals_ ," Iori justified.

"Dammit, Iori!" Nagata snapped. "This isn't how we do things! You should've consulted me first!"

"I was showing _initiative_ ," Iori defended.

"It was _murder_ ," Nagata countered.

Iori returned with a sharp glare, "You damn _hypocrite_. If it had been Aisha or Touka being abused like that, you would've done the same. You would not have shown them any mercy. Don't tell me you haven't killed bandits before."

"I only resorted to that when there was no other option. If I could, I'd rather not kill _anyone_ ," Nagata argued.

"Yes, like when you locked up Zhong for almost turning Sui into his obedient sex toy. If I were you, I would have executed him on the spot."

"You're not the one in charge, Iori."

"So, it's fine as long as _you_ say it's fine?" Iori huffed. "You were okay when I killed Nise, but not with this?"

"It's not our job to decide who lives or dies, Iori."

"It is when it's our _duty_ to protect the innocent. They're the ones who deserve mercy, not the criminals who hurt them. You see, this is the problem, Nagata. You have so much power, but you're too _soft_ and _afraid_ to use it properly. One of these days, that _compassion_ of yours is going to be the death of us."

Disgusted, Iori rose from his seat and turned to leave.

Nagata furiously stood up.

"We're not done here, Iori!" he shouted.

Iori stopped at the door and turned to give Nagata a hard glare. After that, he ignored Nagata as he stepped out of the office and slammed the door shut.

The office became silent.

Nagata didn't go after his friend. He instead sat back in his chair to sigh.

He would wait until both their heads were cool off before they talked again.

Things weren't getting any easier. After his short vacation, he went back to work and the stress returned.

Nagata was thinking about Dai Shi. Brusa Li had not contacted them since the last time and that got him worried. Nagata wanted to believe that the Femme Fatales had failed, but there was no evidence to imply that.

It was likely that they had succeeded.

They were all tense but were doing their best with the situation. With the tension came stress, stress that they needed to relieve.

But afterward, they needed to face facts.

Dai Shi was probably hiding at the RinJyuKen's secret base and making plans. They needed to be vigilant and be ready for when he made his move.

They were all in danger and things were getting worse. Sure, the celebrations and brief respites temporarily took their minds off their problems, but they could not run away from them or ignore them forever.

The latest tragedy in Rakuyo managed to spread throughout China. The last group of guards and construction workers was killed by the RinJyuKen's Femme Fatales. Before that, Bujin Gaim had attacked and killed a few people. Long before that, the city was burned, resulting in it being abandoned in the first place.

Since it was Nagata's idea, the people wanted him to take responsibility.

As if he didn't have enough on his plate already.

People had died, and he needed to take responsibility for their deaths. He came to the cold realization that being a hero had nothing to do with reaping rewards or perks. It was about taking responsibility for his actions, for good or ill.

The best he could do was to provide closure and relief for the families of the deceased and pray they could move on.

The soldiers knew the risks when they chose to fight. It was _their_ choice. They were prepared to lay down their lives to defend their home. The guards were also prepared to defend Rakuyo and the work crew until the project was finished. Unfortunately, their sacrifice would be in vain.

Nobody wanted to continue with the project. Nagata was still dealing with the fallout of that debacle. People had even started calling Rakuyo the ' **Forbidden City** ' because they truly believed it was cursed. A lot of money went into the project, purchasing materials, and supplies. But it had all gone to waste. A failed project didn't reflect well on the one who had proposed it, namely him.

It was a responsibility he would have to bear.

Nagata hated politics, but he still had to deal with it. He couldn't afford to lose control of the situation, but Iori had just added another thing on his plate.

Nagata got the report from Kada about the trauma the women went through at the hands of the bandits. If that had happened to Kanu or any of the other girls, he might've done the same. However, just ordering an execution right on the spot like that, was it the right thing to do?

What Iori had done, Nagata really couldn't blame him for taking such action. He could've done things a little more delicately, but Iori always did what he thought was right.

Was Iori right?

Was Nagata too soft?

Did he need a firmer hand and a harder heart to perform his duty?

Or could it be that something else was affecting Iori's mood?

Nagata needed to get out of this stuffy office and clear his head.

* * *

"Come on, Enya! Just admit it! You like Nagata-sama!"

"Tanpopo, for the last time, we are only friends!"

"Yeah, but if you asked Touka if you could join them in bed..."

Gien's face went beet red at the implication before she furiously shook her head. Batai laughed as her teasing got her best friend all worked up.

Gien's eyes narrowed as she smirked.

"Well, what about you and your feelings for Iori-sama?" Gien asked.

Now it was Batai's turn to look surprised as she blushed.

"That was a crush and I'm over it. Besides, you think I could compete with Shion?"

Gien looked at Batai's figure. Kochu was pretty well-developed in comparison.

"I see your point."

"Yeah, but one day I am so going to fill out like that! Just you wait! I just need to work out and drink my milk!"

Gien and Batai watched as Iori suddenly stormed past them. The two of them blinked.

"Did he look really mad to you?" Gien and Batai asked each other at the same time.

As Iori headed back to his and Kochu's room, he spotted Karasu leaning by the door with her arms crossed.

"Oda-san," Iori greeted curtly.

"So I heard about what you did to those bandits. I never thought you had it in you," Karasu started.

Iori sighed.

"Are you going to say I crossed the line too?"

Karasu rolled his eyes. Iori obviously did not know who he was talking to.

She hated rapists.

"Usually, I would be on Naga-kun's side since he is family. But in this instance, I approve of what you did."

Iori cocked an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"If you ask me, those pieces of scum got what they deserved. They were animals that needed to be put down. Although, personally, I would've made them suffer a little bit longer until they begged me to kill them."

The smile she gave Iori chilled him.

"You and I aren't so different, Tokugawa-sempai. We get things done." She patted his shoulder. "Later."

Iori watched her go with a perplexed expression before he went through the door.

Iori entered his and Kochu's room to see his wife folding clothes and putting them away in the cupboard.

"Airen, you're back," Kochu smiled. She noticed that he looked agitated. "What's wrong?"

"Just had an argument with Nagata," Iori told her as he went to sit on the bed. Kochu got up to sit next to him. She patted her lap and Iori lay down to rest his head on her lap. He enjoyed laying his head across her lap as she gently stroked his head.

Whenever he needed to vent, this was the most comfortable and relaxing position for him. It would always calm him down.

"What happened?" Kochu asked.

Iori told her what happened. He told her how he found the bandits' base and captured all the bandits. Then he told her what he found hidden under the base. The sight of the women being used as sex slaves triggered something and he had all the bandits executed.

Kochu listened patiently, not interrupting until he finished.

"Shion, do you think I went too far?" Iori asked his wife.

"Those bandits had it coming for hurting those girls," Kochu answered. What happened to those women was something that could happen to her, and that was something her husband would never allow that to happen.

"Nagata doesn't think so," Iori remarked.

"You need to look at things from Nagata-sama's position. His standing with the people it's not what it used to be," she advised.

"Well, we have more important things to worry about than a PR problem," Iori retorted.

"But it will still make our lives harder if we lose the support of the people," she countered. "We won't be able to recruit any more soldiers if they lose faith in us."

Iori had to admit that his wife had a point. Good PR yielded better results. It was something he learned from Ichiro when it came to conducting a business. A company with a good reputation would get the best deals. Any company with a low or mediocre reputation would simply struggle or fail.

Nagata had a tough job trying to run a kingdom that was slowly losing faith in him. Many good men died, and their families suffered in grief. Grief turned to anger and anger needed a target to vent upon. That was what Nagata was currently dealing with.

As one of his subordinates, Iori's actions reflected on Nagata. What would the people say when they learned Gaim couldn't control his subordinate Ryugen? What would they say about him executing people without consulting the Seiryuoh first?

And how would all this affect his family?

With trying to protect his family, could he just be making things more difficult for them in the long run?

Was he wrong?

No, he did what he thought was right. It had to be right. There was no doubt in his mind. They were rapists, murderers, and thieves. The world was better off without them. Why should he grant them mercy when they never even considered showing any mercy to their victims?

It was a justified act, even if Nagata thought otherwise.

Iori did what he had to do, and he had no regrets. Correction, he had regretted nothing.

* * *

Kanu, Ryuubi, and Chouhi went to Nagata's office to remind him of their group training session which was scheduled for today. However, they found him missing. They split up and tried looking for him everywhere. They checked his bedroom, the garden, and the kitchen.

He was nowhere to be found.

"Have you found, Nagata-sama?" Kanu asked Ryuubi as the three sisters reconvened.

"No, I haven't. I checked the kitchen and he wasn't there," Ryuubi answered.

"I haven't had any luck either, and I looked everywhere even under his bed," said Chouhi.

"Where could he have gone?" Kanu asked worriedly.

"Hey, are you guys looking for Nagata-sama?" Bacho asked as she walked up to them while eating an apple. "I saw him head into the bamboo grove earlier."

The three sisters ran past Bacho who yelled, "Hey, can you remind him that he said he'd go riding with me?"

* * *

After his argument with Iori, Nagata could not concentrate on his work. He had to go out to blow off some steam and clear his head.

To do that, he needed to be somewhere where he could be alone.

Nagata stood in the middle of a bamboo grove, eyes closed in concentration, and his grip tight around his swords.

These were not his original swords, however. When Bujin Gaim had taken over his body, he had gone and sold the swords. It was with the money he gained from selling Nagata's twin katanas that he afforded the company of the three girls in the brothel.

Fortunately, Nagata had spares made. For some reason, he felt oddly relieved to be rid of those swords. Bujin Gaim had unknowingly done him a favor. Those swords might've saved lives, but they had also spilled blood, and he didn't need a reminder of his sins.

It was easier for Nagata to forget about all the tragedy that happened while his mind was focused on paperwork and training. Nagata didn't consider himself much of a workaholic outside of his martial arts training. He'd rather do anything than sit behind his desk and do mind-numbing paperwork. However, recently he'd been using his paperwork to keep his mind off unpleasant memories. By keeping his mind busy, he could function properly without having a mental breakdown.

It was when those memories were triggered that he had problems.

So he tried to move on and supplant them with good memories instead. By outweighing the bad memories with the good ones, he could make it through his life.

He remembered back when he was a child, he wanted to be a Kamen Rider. He grew up watching the series and had been a lifelong fan ever since.

He also remembered back when he told his mom about his dream. Back then he was just a kid. Whenever they sat down to watch, he told her that someday he would grow up to become a Kamen Rider, a true hero of justice.

His mom humored him, but at the same time pointed out how dangerous it would be. She pointed out that the monsters could beat him up or even worse.

As a naive child, he told her that he would just be stronger than the monsters so that he would not get hurt. As a Kamen Rider, he would be able to save everyone. That naiveté carried over to his teen years.

But he knew better now.

Being a Kamen Rider was no longer a dream. It was easier to handle as a dream. When it was fiction, it wasn't real, and nobody got hurt. Now he was in a different world with the powers of a Kamen Rider. It was exciting at first, but now it was his new reality, and with it came the responsibility and burden as a Kamen Rider.

And as a Kamen Rider, he had experienced his fair share of failures and committed sins as well. He had killed people, something a Kamen Rider shouldn't do. He had allowed people to die, which was also another taboo for a Kamen Rider.

It was so much easier when it was just a show and he was in the audience. But now he was playing the role and was not doing so well.

While he had defeated enemies, there were not without losses. He didn't know how the other Riders handled it so well. Perhaps they just got used to it and were able to move forward as they could not allow their guilt to hold them back.

But the guilt would return, in some form or another, triggered by something or someone.

He was bothered by Iori's callous act of executing those bandits without giving them a proper trial. It was like how Bujin Gaim killed without remorse or second thought.

Nagata was not completely over what Bujin Gaim had done. The way Iori could easily order an execution like that reminded Nagata of how easily Bujin Gaim could kill people. He felt terrible for comparing his best friend to the demon, but he couldn't help it. It was just fortunate that he hadn't outright accused Iori of being like the demon. That would've made things worse.

Nagata paused.

How could he ever compare Iori to the likes of Bujin Gaim? Iori was nothing like Bujin Gaim. Unlike Bujin Gaim, Iori killed to protect the ones he loved. Bujin Gaim killed because it was enjoyable for him. Nagata could never forget the euphoria Bujin Gaim felt with each horrific deed he committed. It sickened him.

Fortunately, the camping trip he went on allowed him to gradually overcome his trauma. He was no longer blaming himself for Bujin Gaim's action and was making progress.

His gaze went back to his replacement swords. He knew that he would need to spill blood once more for the sake of peace. He had come to terms with it a long time ago.

He had accepted it as his new reality.

He would still carry on for the many who have died.

But sometimes it would become too much for him.

He was beginning to get sick and tired of all the fighting and killing.

He just wanted it all to be over.

And so with that in mind, he swung his swords.

* * *

Kanu, Chouhi, and Ryuubi entered the bamboo grove in search of Nagata.

"There he is!" Chouhi called out as she pointed at Nagata.

They found him just as he cut the ropes behind him.

Suddenly, daggers launched from the bamboo grove and Nagata's eyes snapped open as he swung his swords, deflecting the flying blades. Kanu and Ryuubi watched in both amazement and worry as the daggers fell at Nagata's feet, parried expertly by his swords. Unfortunately, he missed the last flying dagger which cut through his sleeve, causing him to cry out on reflex.

"Nagata-sama!" cried Kanu as Nagata fell to his knees. They ran over to him to check if he was injured and saw the fresh cut on his arm.

"You're hurt," Ryuubi stated as she saw the wound.

"It's OK," he assured them as he hissed from the stinging pain. "It's just a scratch. Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" Kanu repeated incredulously.

"Yeah," Nagata insisted.

Kanu picked up one of the daggers off the ground.

"Who helped you set all this up, Nagata-sama?"

"Iori did," Nagata said. "He tells me it's a good way to practice hand-eye coordination and reflexes."

Iori had shown it to Nagata and demonstrated how it was used. Nagata was amazed when Iori used his tonfa to deflect the flying daggers. It was a dangerous way to train reflexes, but that only made it more thrilling.

"Also a good way to lose an eye," Kanu remarked.

"And you got yourself hurt." Ryuubi pointed to the cut on his arm.

"I guess I should take it easy for now," Nagata sighed. They all sat down in the middle of the bamboo grove. The cut he got on his arm wasn't so bad and had stopped bleeding.

Ryuubi noticed how troubled Nagata seemed.

"Nagata-sama, is something wrong?"

Nagata let out a sigh.

"I'm just so tired, Touka..."

"Of what?"

"Of all the fighting, the killing, the wars, of losing people..." Nagata confessed. "I'm just so tired of it that it makes me _sick_ , but I can't abandon the people. I need to protect them."

"Nagata-sama, do you regret coming back here to protect us?" Kanu asked.

"No, never. I just want it all to end so we can have peace. You told me the Messenger of Heaven was supposed to bring peace."

"Nobody said the job would be easy."

"Yeah, of course not. But if things continue the way they are, then this whole war will end with us wiping each other out. I just wish we could all sit down and just talk so we can find a compromise that does not result in more deaths."

Kanu knew what Nagata was going with this. He was weary of all the conflict. He wanted this war with RinJyuKen Akugata to be resolved peacefully.

He didn't crave for war and battle.

He just wanted to be over.

He just wanted peace.

How many people had died since this conflict began?

How many people were sacrificed for the sake of victory?

Too many to count.

Nagata never thought there were any peaceful Rinrinshi until he met Nanamomo. She might have been mostly neutral, but in the end, she decided to do the right thing. She had sacrificed herself in an attempt to destroy Bujin Gaim. It might've failed, but her actions proved that she had a heart as she had done it in the name of friendship.

Yet, as noble as it sounded, Kanu didn't think it was possible for them to make peace with the RinJyuKen Akugata. That was pretty clear.

"Nagata-sama, I understand what you're trying to do. Yes, there might be Rinrinshi that can be reasoned with, but when all other options have been exhausted, what else is there? You can't just do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. That's just plain wishful thinking. This is part of what a leader is being about, making the tough choices, making hard decisions. This isn't some child's game, this is a war, and looking at it with such naiveté is only going to lead to even more tragedies.

"When the people look to you, they expect results. They expect you to get things done. They expect for you to keep them safe. I'm sorry, Nagata-sama, but with all of the things that the Rinrinshi and their kind have committed, we can't just continue to use empty words to fight them.

"Peace? Their leaders don't care about that. In the end, it is either us or them."

Kanu gave her beloved leader a long, somber look, one that seemed to bore into Nagata forever. Then, her stern demeanor faltered, hardly believing that those words had spilled from her of all people, but it had been building up inside of her for some time after seeing him one too many times tearing himself up over the issue, just as she could no longer bear to see more innocents suffer.

"Nagata-sama, I apologize if my words sound harsh..."

"No, no, you told me what I needed to hear, even if they weren't exactly the words I wanted to hear. You're right. It's pointless to make peace with people who don't want it. Even if you give them a chance, even if you give them 100 chances, when they have set their minds on the matter, there's just no way of changing their minds. Maybe, just maybe I could find some peaceful Rinrinshi, but with the Femme Fatales in control, identifying the peaceful ones is next to impossible unless they come forward.

"And it's not only them we need to worry about. We also got the Genesis Riders to deal with and they are attacking us with propaganda. That's not something we can easily fight. Words travel far and reach many ears. Then there's Dai Shi."

"The RinJyuKen's true leader."

"I wanted to believe their ritual failed, but we can't take that chance. If they managed to revive him then he's out there, somewhere, plotting. And here I am, with no idea where he is or how to stop him."

Nagata felt lost and helpless. He did not know what to do.

It was hopeless.

"Nagata-sama, you seem to be forgetting something," Ryuubi spoke as she reached out to caress his face. "You're not alone in this. We're here for you."

But he wasn't alone.

When he tried to shoulder everything by himself, all it did was caused him unnecessary stress. He thought that by coping with it all by himself that he was demonstrating his inner strength. However, it was foolish to think that he could handle it all by himself.

He was never truly alone.

When he started on this path, it was Chouhi and Kanu who first stood by him. Then they gathered more friends and formed a team. They believed in him when he didn't believe in himself and he tried his hardest to live up to their expectations.

But trying to deal with things alone wasn't a show of strength. Neither was it smart. There was nothing wrong with relying on others. It wasn't a weakness to trust in others or rely on them.

Not only were they at his side to help him shoulder the burden, they became a source of strength and a reminder to why he resolved to stick to this path.

Even when things got really bad, he still had his friends at his side. No matter how powerful the enemy became, he had friends to rely on who could back him up.

Nagata chuckled to himself. He really was an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

"No, I never said you couldn't help. You've been helping me all this time for a while now, haven't you?"

"And _you've_ been working very hard. Now, I think you need rest," Ryuubi said. "Why don't you lay your head on my lap and relax?"

"Yeah, I guess I should rest for a bit," he accepted. He lay down, resting his head on Ryuubi's soft lap.

Kanu couldn't help but feel jealous as she watched this. She remembered how Nagata used to lay his head on _her_ lap.

"Remember, Nagata-sama. If you ever need to talk, we are here for you."

"Thank you. I'll try to remember that."

Relaxed, now Nagata could think clearly.

He knew he would have to resolve the issue between himself and Iori, the sooner the better. He could not let this fester and jeopardize their friendship.

Worrying to death about things he could not change was counterproductive. He needed to learn to accept the tragedies he experienced and move on. He was no good to anyone if all he could think about were the mistakes he made. He needed to focus on the solution rather than the problem.

If they were going to stop the RinJyuKen for good, they needed everyone to work as a team. They were stronger together, without being burdened by excessive emotional baggage.

Karasu hid among the bamboo, watching her cousin hang out with his 'harem'. As she spied on them, her expression remained unreadable, but her gaze was sharp and venomous.

 **To Be Continued in Fallen Dragon Part 2...**


	27. Fallen Dragon Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

Karasu returned to her room later that evening. Looking out her window, she gazed at the full moon. It was such a beautiful sight. Not a lot of people in the modern age took a moment to stop and appreciate its beauty.

A full moon did only come at the end of each month, making it a rare treat.

Then it would vanish, bit by bit, until it was gone from sight.

Then the cycle would continue.

As she continued to gaze at the moon, she pondered on the possibility of Nagata becoming the Emperor. To be honest, she believed he deserved to sit on that throne. He would definitely make a good Emperor. No, he would be a _great_ Emperor. The **Ultimate** Emperor. He had power, talent, and charisma. How else could he have drawn so many powerful warriors to him and convince them to serve him?

Unfortunately, that charisma worked against her favor. His servants turned out to be attractive female warriors and they were all trying to steal him from her.

That was unacceptable!

Her Naga-kun could become Emperor. He did have the power to unite the land under his banner. He could rule them all and nobody would be able to resist him. If anyone tried, they would be crushed as he was the strongest of them all. And if anybody still had a problem with that, then she would take care of them. Her beloved Naga-kun needn't dirty his hands to deal with pests.

She would do anything for him. Anything at all. After all, only she knew what was best for him.

She went over to her desk and pulled the drawer open to retrieve her mask. She had wasted too much time already. She had to maintain a facade for far too long and it was gradually getting on her nerves. She was at her limit and needed a release. She needed to end this charade.

Standing by her window again, she strapped on her SengokuDriver. It still amazed her how a toy could turn into a weapon under the right circumstances. Magic was truly a miraculous thing. Oh, she believed in _real_ magic, but the vast majority in her world just forgot that it was ever real to begin with. Too bad magic was reduced to tricks, myths, and fantasy back in her world.

Such a sad, dull and utterly boring existence.

And in a boring world, anything that could rock the boat would be seen as wrong. Anything out of place would be erased. A nail that stuck out was to be nailed down. That was the culture she grew up in.

Only the truly privileged were allowed to flourish. She was one of the privileged as she was born to inherit the position of the head of the Oda Clan. If she ever showed behavior that was unbecoming of her, then the rest of the clan would question her worthiness. So she pretended to behave, pretended to be the ideal heiress of the clan. She had to hide her true self and the bloodlust that was hidden within.

And now here she was, in a world where her own bloodlust didn't seem out of place. It was a time of war, so she was expected to be able to fight, to be able to kill. She was a warrior at heart, something she knew to be true. She had been trained to be a warrior in a world where warriors weren't needed. Was it so strange that she would spill blood the first chance she got?

So when she arrived here, she killed bandits as she searched for her cousin. Sooner or later, her actions would get his attention and they would be reunited. Sadly, by then, his heart had been stolen by another. Even worse, his heart was now being shared by others.

Every day she would have to endure the sight of her beloved being seduced and corrupted by those harlots and temptresses, day in and day out.

In the day, she was forced to watch him spend his time happily with them. And at night, she would have to watch as he took a different girl with him to bed as they did unspeakable things between the sheets. It was enough to drive her mad, literally.

She hated it.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She was sick of waiting.

She was sick of keeping silent.

She was sick of watching.

Well no more...she had stayed her hand long enough.

It was time for her to make her move.

It was time for the Shinigami to spread her dark wings and claim the heart of her beloved that was rightfully hers.

It was simply meant to be as she possessed the power that would make her dream become a reality.

Tonight was her night, and it would be glorious.

For she held the power of **Darkness**.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 18-2: Fallen Dragon (Part 2)**

* * *

It was nighttime when Nagata stepped outside to meet Iori. Iori would regularly step out at night to gaze at the stars, and Nagata understood why.

The _Musou Seiryuoh_ gazed up at the evening sky. He never got tired of seeing the stars at night. With the moon so full, it was such a beautiful sight. However, he couldn't appreciate the night, not with the tension between him and his best friend.

The night was also chilly, prompting Nagata to tighten his scarf. Winter was coming and everyone was preparing for the cold winter months ahead. Fortunately, they had enough food stored that would last them until next spring.

"Hey, Iori," Nagata greeted his friend. It had been hours since their confrontation in his office. Dinner had been awkward as they kept giving each other the silent treatment. Iori refused to speak with him, and Nagata really didn't know what to say.

Everyone else could sense the tension but chose not to comment. It was between the two of them.

"Oh, hey," Iori replied absently.

There was an awkward silence between them which passed after a few seconds.

"Look, about what happened earlier, I just wanted to say-" Nagata started.

"Quiet," Iori cut him off.

Nagata was taken aback by this. He came out here to bury the hatchet but Iori was having none of it.

He wasn't going to be discouraged, though.

"Iori, I know you're mad at me, but we need to talk about this," Nagata continued.

Ignoring Nagata's plea, Iori asked, "Do you hear _that_?"

"Hear _what_?" Nagata furrowed his brows then he concentrated. That sounded like _buzzing_ and it was becoming louder. "What is _that_?"

As it was close to winter, it was starting to get cold, way too cold for any insects to be out and about. They would've gone into hibernation or migrated to a place with a warmer climate. This...this wasn't normal.

They looked up to see a cloud of insects hovering in the air above them. The ominous swarm descended before seemingly merging and forming into a humanoid figure.

Nagata and Iori quickly strapped on their SengokuDrivers as the figure revealed itself to them.

" _ **Good evening, gentlemen...**_ "

"Jam..." Nagata glowered as a chill crawled up his spine at the sight of her.

"So, _this_ is Jam," Iori said as he finally saw her for the first time. Nagata had told him about her and how much of a threat she was.

" _ **I've come for**_ **you** ," Jam spoke, pointing threateningly at Nagata.

Nagata let out a sigh.

"Jam, if it's a fight you want, you know you stand no chance of winning against the both of us. So why don't you just surrender?" Nagata offered.

Iori rolled his eyes. There was no way Jam was going to surrender.

Jam's response was to snap her fingers and another swarm of insects descended next to her. It then took shape and solidified, becoming an inhuman figure. It was a black Locust Kaijin with red eyes. It looked quite aggressive and hostile.

"Guess we got our answer," stated Iori.

 **[BUDOU!]**

"You're right," Nagata confirmed.

 **[KACHIDOKI!]**

"Henshin!"

 **[LOCK ON!]**

Jam waited for them to finish their transformation as her Locust Kaijin stood anxiously next to her.

 **[HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]**

 **[SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]**

"Iori, I've dealt with Jam before. You take care of her sidekick," Gaim instructed as he drew his Musou Saber.

"Alright, you know her best, Nagata," Ryugen responded as he tightened his grip on his Budou Ryuhou.

The two of them charged at Jam and the Locust Kaijin who lunged right back at them. Sparks flew as Gaim and Jam locked blades before he dragged her elsewhere, leaving Ryugen to deal with the Locust Kaijin by himself.

* * *

Once Gaim managed to separate Jam from her minion and drag her far away from Ryugen's fight with it, he tossed the evil Rider away. She landed softly on her feet before she looked at him.

They now stood in the middle of the village.

This would be their battleground.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish here, but this ends now. I don't want to ever see you again after tonight," said Gaim sternly.

" _ **Then if you want me to disappear forever, you know what you have to do**_ ," Jam challenged.

Not wasting any time, Gaim charged at Jam. Just as his Musou Saber was about to make contact, he suddenly felt a burst of intense pain.

He stumbled back and he looked down to see a burning slash mark across his stomach. Jam resumed her attack, slashing at Gaim with her two swords as he parried with his Musou Saber. His Kachidoki Arms had high defense, but Jam proved to be stronger as she left marks on his armor. She landed a kick that sent him flying and he tumbled through the air before he landed on his back.

Picking himself up, Gaim grabbed one of his auxiliary Lockseeds. It was the Carambola Lockseed. He quickly loaded it into his Musou Saber.

 **[LOCK ON! 1, 10, 100! CARAMBOLA CHARGE!]**

Gaim swung and threw hundreds of energized versions of the Carambola Stars at Jam.

Jam saw the flurry of Carambola Stars coming at her but she did not even flinch. She raised her swords and, much to Gaim's shock, used them to deflect each of the Carambola Stars that came at her with ease. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang in the air as the Carambola Stars were shattered by Jam's swords as she approached Gaim menacingly.

 **[DARKNESS SQUASH!]**

Jam swung her Dark Daidaimaru, throwing a dark energy slash at Gaim. The explosive impact sent the Blue King soaring and he crashed to the ground, painfully, and let out a grunt of pain.

"Argh!" Gaim cried out.

This was bad. Jam wasn't holding back.

She was aiming to kill him tonight.

" _ **Is this all you've got, Gaim?**_ " Jam challenged.

"Oh, you want to see more?" Gaim picked himself up as he took out his DJ Gun. "Then you'll get more!" He did not hesitate as he loaded the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed into the DJ Gun's Drive Bay.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

He took aim, the DJ Gun siphoning energy from the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed. He squeezed the trigger, unleashing a salvo of laser beams that flew in all directions before they homed in on Jam.

 **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**

And in response, Jam hit her Cutting Blade three times as the beams came speeding towards her.

 **[DARKNESS SPARKING!]**

The Darkness Armor Part reassembled on Jam's head and spun rapidly. The beams hit the spinning Darkness Armor Part and evaporated on contact.

Gaim continued firing, hoping to overwhelm his opponent. Unfortunately, he failed.

The Darkness Armor Part disassembled and reformed into Jam's armor. She surprised Gaim yet again as she demonstrated her impressive reflexes. She bobbed and weaved, ducked and dodged, before finally reaching Gaim and striking him violently.

Gaim combined his Musou Saber with his DJ Gun, converting it into its Taiken Mode, and charged at his opponent. If ranged attacks weren't going to work, then melee should do the trick.

Scoffing, Jam slammed her Dark Daidaimaru and Musou Saber into the ground. A pulse of dark energy expanded from the point of impact, catching Gaim off guard as he was stunned and electrocuted. He was forced to his knees. Jam canceled the technique and strode over to Gaim.

" _ **And you thought you could defeat me now**_ ," said Jam in disappointment before she struck him. Sparks flew as her blades made contact with his chest, erupting like bright embers. He let out a scream of pain as he was sent rolling across the ground.

* * *

While Gaim was busy with Jam, Ryugen dealt with the Locust Kaijin. His strategy was simple. He would keep his distance and fire from afar.

He didn't want to get too close to the creepy monster. It made his skin crawl.

Ryugen and the Locust Kaijin's fight took place in the training grounds. There was plenty of space here for their fight.

The Locust Kaijin proved to be an agile opponent, capable of evading all of Ryugen's shots. The ones that were lucky enough to hit, though, had no effect on it very much. It didn't seem fazed at all and this alarmed Ryugen.

Ryugen dodged a swipe and struck his Cutting Blade twice.

 **[HAI~! BUDOU AU LAIT!]**

Ryugen aimed and fired a rapid salvo of purple energy blasts from his Budou Ryuhou. At this range, he could not miss.

The Locust Kaijin was riddled by the blasts before exploding.

Ryugen believed this was the end of it.

It was not.

Suddenly, the exploded Locust Kaijin reformed as the many insects that made up its body reassembled.

It was back, good as new, and ready to tear Ryugen apart.

Leaping into the air, the Locust Kaijin performed a flying kick that slammed Ryugen into a stack of crates. He groaned in pain from the blow and realized he was disarmed. He looked around for his weapon and spotted his Budou Ryuhou. It had fallen a distance away from him. Getting to it wouldn't be difficult, but the Locust Kaijin was standing in the way.

Unlike Nagata, Iori wasn't very proficient at unarmed combat. That didn't mean he didn't know how to fight unarmed. It was just that he held more of preference to ranged combat. Hand-to-hand combat was not his specialty.

Still, he didn't really have much of a choice if he wanted to get to his weapon.

Rising to his feet, Ryugen dashed towards the Locust Kaijin. He feinted a punch before he dove past the Locust Kaijin and picked up his gun. Rolling his body around to face the Locust Kaijin again, he fired several more shots.

Still, no effect.

"Shit," Ryugen cursed.

His eyes gleamed darkly. He had no choice but to rely on _that_ power.

Ryugen reached for his spare Lockseeds and took out the Yomotsuheguri Lockseed. He unlocked it, causing it to call out in a dark voice.

 **[YOMOTSUHEGURI!]**

The dark portal appeared above Ryugen and the Yomotsuheguri Armor Part descended.

The Locust Kaijin's attention seemed transfixed on the phenomena as it paused to gaze at the Yomotsuheguri Armor Part and the portal it came from. Ryugen took his chance and switched Lockseeds.

 **[LOCK ON! HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

His Budou Arms vanished as the Yomotsuheguri Arms landed on his head.

"AARRRRGGHHHHHHHHH!"

Ryugen screamed as he felt the surge of power engulf him as his Ride Wear suit changed from green to black and red. Then the Yomotsuheguri Armor Part disassembled and folded onto his body. His Rider Indicator also changed to match his transformation.

Leveling his Budou Ryuhou at the Locust Kaijin, Ryugen-Yomi hit his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

He fired a sphere of dark red energy at the Locust Kaijin. It was so powerful that the attack obliterated his target the moment it hit.

"Now, to go help Nagata," Ryugen-Yomi decided.

As Ryugen-Yomi went to support Gaim, he did not notice that he had a black locust latched onto him.

* * *

The fight between Gaim and Jam intensified.

Gaim slashed at Jam repeatedly with his DJ Taiken, but the evil Rider casually parried the blows with her swords. He finally found an opening and slashed Jam across the chest before landing a kick on her chest, sending her backpedaling. Gaim then pushed on his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade, twice.

 **[SOIYA! KACHIDOKI AU LAIT!]**

He swung the DJ Taiken and an orange energy blade crashed violently into Jam, sending her stumbling back. Gaim continued his assault as he pushed down the Cutting Blade down again.

 **[SOIYA! KACHIDOKI SQUASH!]**

Orange energy gathered in Gaim's right fist as he cocked it back and charged at Jam. He threw his fist, delivering his own Rider Punch.

 **[DARKNESS SPARKING!]**

However, Jam was ready for him. She crossed her glowing blades, blocked the punch, and knocked Gaim down. As Gaim was starting to pick himself up, Jam slashed him across the chest, violently ripping sparks off his armor.

Gaim went tumbling along the ground again. As he came to a stop, he grunted and picked himself off the ground. He glared at Jam who was walking towards him.

 **[DARKNESS AU LAIT!]**

Gaim was hit with a powerful wave of dark energy that sent him tumbling.

" _ **So, is this the limit of your power?**_ " scoffed Jam in disappointed. Gaim struggled to stand but the pain of his injuries prevented him from moving. " _ **You know what? This isn't fun anymore. Maybe I should just go to your castle and kill everyone inside. My blades thirst for their blood.**_ "

Those words seemed to spark something as Gaim climbed back to his feet and swung his DJ Taiken at her. Jam raised her swords to block, but he broke through her guard and landed a vicious slash across her chest. The impact caused sparks to explode as Gaim drove Jam back.

"You're not touching them," Gaim growled. "Not while I'm around."

" _ **So...**_ " spoke Jam. " _ **You still have some fight in you.**_ "

"For my friends, for the people, I will continue to fight," Gaim declared, pointing at her threateningly with his DJ Taiken. "And as long as monsters like you exist to threaten innocent lives, I will stand against you!"

He held his hand under the Kachidoki Lockseed and the core glowed as the Ryujin Key materialized in his hand.

 **[RYUJIN!]**

He then activated it, calling forth the dragon to awaken his true power.

 **[LOCK OPEN!]**

Gaim's Kachidoki Arms Armor shattered, revealing his Ryujin Ride Wear suit. The dragon of light also turned into the Ryujin Raiment, draping itself over him to complete the change.

 **[RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

Jam appraised Ryujin Gaim's appearance. It was mighty indeed as it radiated with pure power.

" _ **So, you've decided to use your trump card**_ ," said Jam.

Usually, she would be a bit worried since Ryujin Gaim was stronger than her now. Fortunately, she had something that could even the playing field.

Jam took out her new Lockseed. When Ryujin Gaim saw it, he froze.

The Lockseed was not modeled after a fruit like most. Instead, it resembled a blue demonic eyeball that was clutched in a set of sharp claws. It did not even have a code.

It was not the Lockseed's appearance that unnerved him, but the feeling he got from it. It radiated with pure malice and wickedness.

"What is that Lockseed?" Ryujin Gaim questioned.

Jam smirked as she activated it.

 **[TAOWU!]**

A dark portal appeared in the air, swirling above Jam. However, it did not release any kind of Armor Part. It just stayed there, swirling around, like it was waiting for something.

Gaim was fixed to the spot, unable to take his eyes away from the phenomenon.

Just what was going?

What was up with that Lockseed?

Why did it fill him with such dread?

 **[LOCK ON!]**

Once Jam loaded the Lockseed into her SengokuDriver, dark energy burst out of Jam in waves. She then hit the Cutting Blade. The core was revealed as the Lockseed was split open.

The core looked like a demonic dragon's face while the lid's backside held the inverted triangle symbol of the RinJyuKen.

 **[TAOWU ARMS!]**

The dark portal above Jam showered her with a blast of demonic energy as it engulfed her. Jam screamed as the dark power forced its way into her, changing her.

Jam's swarm gathered around her before converging on her. She let out a shriek as the bugs seemed to fuse with her.

A pulse of dark energy spread out, hitting everything in its path. Ryujin Gaim was hit and he shivered.

It was so dark and cold.

The smoke and dust cleared, unveiling Jam as she hovered over a crater, completely changed.

A mane of dark flames surrounded her head as two sets of insectoid wings buzzed behind her, keeping her aloft. She gained clawed fingertips, and her chestpiece resembled a pale demonic dragon face with blue tribal tattoos and a crown of demonic horns that extended to her shoulders. Her Ride Wear suit also gained purple tiger-like stripes.

This was **Armored War Devil Jam Taowu Arms**.

Ryujin Gaim shook off the cold feeling he had. He didn't care what form his opponent took. She was going down right here, right now.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Celestial energy filled the blade of the DJ Taiken. His visor flashed and he swiped his blade across the air, delivering a lethal energy slash.

" _DAI RYUJIN ZAN!"_

Jam took a direct hit of the _Dai Ryujin Zan_ attack.

As his opponent was engulfed in an explosion, Ryujin Gaim exhaled a breath of relief. There was no way she could've survived that.

Ryujin Gaim's optimism quickly shattered as the smoke cleared and revealed Jam with an aura of purple flames radiating from her body.

She had managed to survive the _Dai Ryujin Zan._

 **[TAOWU SPARKING!]**

" _ **My turn**_ ," Jam declared as the purple aura erupted from her body and she jumped into the air. She performed a flip and then flew towards Ryujin Gaim, landing a fast and powerful flying side kick into Gaim's chest. She then jumped off and flipped through the air before she landed a roundhouse kick to his head. The force of the kick would've snapped his neck if he hadn't been wearing his armor. Finally, Jam finished off with a powerful forward jab.

Ryujin Gaim was thrown backward by the strike as a huge dent was shown on his chestplate. His Ryujin Raiment gave him incredible defense, so this was the rare instance of anything damaging it so easily.

Even the greatest defense had their limits.

Jam watched as Ryujin Gaim struggled to get back to his feet. He looked like a wounded deer. She could almost pity him right now.

 _Almost_.

Ryujin Gaim stood up and that was when he spotted Ryugen-Yomi coming up from behind Jam. She didn't even seem to notice.

This was good. Obviously, Ryugen-Yomi managed to defeat his opponent. Now the two of them could work together to deal with her.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SPARKING!]**

A purple dragon of energy roared as it burst out of Ryugen-Yomi's Budou Ryuhou. To Ryujin Gaim's surprise, it flew right past Jam and exploded violently against his chest, knocking him backward. Ryujin Gaim groaned as he regained his balance, surprised by the attack. He was shocked to see Ryugen-Yomi standing next to Jam.

" _ **Looks like my plan was a success**_ ," Jam said quietly as she saw the vines covering Ryugen-Yomi.

"Iori!?" Ryujin Gaim gasped. "What are you doing!?"

" _ **He can't hear you anymore, Gaim.**_ _ **He's now under my control**_ ," Jam claimed.

"No way! Iori, fight it!" Ryujin Gaim yelled.

Ryugen-Yomi continued to stare at Ryujin Gaim blankly.

" _ **A change in venue should be good**_ ," Jam suggested as she summoned a swarm of insect. The swarm engulfed Jam and both Shoku Armored War Gods before it carried them into the air to who knows where. Ryujin Gaim couldn't move as the swarm restrained him, while Ryugen-Yomi let it carry him away.

The insect swarm dropped them on snow-covered ground. Were they on a mountain somewhere? That didn't matter to Ryujin Gaim. Instead, he focused his gaze on his friend who was now under enemy control.

Jam was nowhere to be seen. She was likely out of sight, watching without risking herself being caught in the crossfire.

"What are you planning, Jam!?" Ryujin Gaim demanded. "I know you can hear me!"

" _ **I want to find something out**_ ," she answered, her voice coming from everywhere at once.

"Find _what_ out?"

" _ **Which of you is the strongest? The Azure Dragon King or the Underworld Dragon?**_ "

"This is some kind of sick game to you, isn't it?" Ryujin Gaim sounded disgusted.

" _ **Life's more fun that way. Oh, and don't lose your focus.**_ "

"Huh, wha-ARGH!?" Ryugen-Yomi suddenly slashed him across the chest with the Yomiyari.

" _ **I'm controlling him right now, Gaim. Now you can decide to either defend yourself or let him kill you. The choice should be obvious.**_ "

"You're one sick bitch!" Ryujin Gaim spat as he had his sword trained on his friend/opponent.

" _ **I've been called worse.**_ "

"Oh, I don't doubt that. Not at all."

Ryugen-Yomi was on the attack again as he moved to spear Ryujin Gaim. Ryujin Gaim staggered from the blow. Another swing came at him but he quickly parried with his DJ Taiken before he swiftly deflected another one.

"Iori, listen to me! You're being controlled! You gotta wake up! Fight it!" Ryujin Gaim begged as he deflected and blocked Ryugen-Yomi's strikes. However, his words went ignored. He saw the dark vines creeping over his friend and knew what he had to do. "I gotta get those vines off him."

Meanwhile, Jam hovered over the battlefield within a swarm. Her eyes were focused on the fight between the two Shoku Dragons.

" _ **I know you can do better than this. Stop holding back.**_ "

Ryugen-Yomi brought out one of his Kiwi Gekirin and threw it at Ryujin Gaim who ducked. The wind-and-fire wheel soared through the air, slicing through the tree trunks before it made a turn, slicing through more trees before returning to Ryugen-Yomi. The trees fell as a result. Ryujin Gaim was just fortunate that he had ducked in time before he ended up decapitated.

"Looks like I need to get up close and personal if I want to snap him out of it!" Ryujin Gaim decided.

 **[WIZARDSWORDGUN!]**

Rising up, Ryujin Gaim aimed and fired the WizardSwordGun. At the same time, Ryugen-Yomi pulled the trigger of his Budou Ryuhou. The two shot each other in the chest, filling the air with cries of pain.

Ryujin Gaim gritted his teeth and fired a salvo of silver bullets. Seeing them coming, Ryugen-Yomi deflected the projectiles with his Yomiyari and then threw the trident to knock the WizardSwordGun out of Ryujin Gaim's hand.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Ryugen-Yomi aimed his Budou Ryuhou and fired a Dragon Shot at Ryujin Gaim. An explosion followed as the attack hit its mark, but Ryujin Gaim dashed out of a curtain of fire. He sped towards Ryugen-Yomi who was ready for him.

As Ryujin Gaim swung his DJ Taiken, Ryugen-Yomi blocked it with his own Yomiyari. Sparks flew as their weapons connected.

" _ **That's it! Now you're taking this seriously!**_ "

"I'm only doing this to knock him back to his senses, not for your amusement!" Ryujin Gaim shouted back before he kicked Ryugen-Yomi in the stomach. He then broke through his friend's guard and slashed him across the chest, but Ryugen-Yomi resisted the slashes and lashed out. He struck Ryujin Gaim in the chest with the Yomiyari and sparks burst on contact. Ryujin Gaim was sent tumbling by the violent blow.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

The Grapes of Wrath surrounded the Yomiyari before Ryugen-Yomi sent them flying like bullets towards Ryujin Gaim. They struck the Blue King and exploded spectacularly. The smoke cleared to reveal Ryujin Gaim, still standing.

His armor truly was something else if it was able to withstand all that punishment.

" _ **And I thought this wouldn't be any fun.**_ "

"Iori, listen to me. You need to fight this. Please, you don't want to do this," Ryujin Gaim pleaded. He believed that his friend wasn't so weak-willed to allow himself to be controlled by an evil force like some kind of a puppet.

" _ **Save your breath, Gaim. If you truly want to end this, you know what you have to do**_ ," Jam informed him.

Ryugen-Yomi dashed towards Ryujin Gaim, but Ryugen-Yomi shocked him as his Yomiyari vanished and the Baihu Claws appeared on his forearms.

"What!?" Ryujin Gaim gawked in disbelief. How could he have Masataka's Sovereign Weapons?

Ryugen-Yomi roared and slashed at Ryujin Gaim with the Baihu Claws. He blocked it with the DJ Gun Taiken Mode but was knocked backward by the force of the blow.

" _ **Surprised, Gaim?**_ "

"What's going on!?"

" _ **Let's just say Ryugen here has powers he hasn't even discovered yet.**_ "

"And how do you know what he can do!?" challenged Ryujin Gaim.

" _ **I did my homework. Oh, and those aren't the only weapons he has access to.**_ "

Ryugen-Yomi slashed at Ryujin Gaim repeatedly, forcing him to defend himself with his DJ Taiken. Ryugen-Yomi then kicked Ryujin Gaim in the chest and sent him tumbling. As he regained his balance, a series of explosions erupted around him, sending snow flying everywhere.

"SHIT!" Ryujin Gaim cursed.

Ryugen-Yomi summoned the Pitaya Ryujin Hou and fired it repeatedly at Ryujin Gaim. He was hit and sent flying by the explosive projectile. Ryugen-Yomi continued to fire at Ryujin Gaim who tried to avoid the blasts, but he was hit numerous times by the shells, causing him to take damage. True, his Ryujin Arms had high defense, but even that defense had its limits.

Reconverting his DJ Gun to its default mode, Ryujin Gaim took aim after setting the weapon to low. He fired a series of cannon blasts at Ryugen-Yomi.

In response, Ryugen-Yomi summoned Gridon's Shell Shield to block the DJ Gun's blasts. He then banished his Pitaya Ryujin Hou and summoned the Suzakalibur.

Green flames surrounded the sword and Ryugen-Yomi swung, hurling green fireballs at Ryujin Gaim. They exploded against his armor, knocking him painfully to the ground.

Ryujin Gaim was on his knees with smoke rising from his armor.

Jam huffed in boredom.

" _ **I guess you've had enough. I'm disappointed in you. I really thought you would put up more of a fight.**_ "

Ryujin Gaim ignored Jam's condescending words.

"Iori, I'm not giving up on you! If I have to beat you so you can come back to your senses, then I'll have to beat you _senseless_ to do it!" shouted Ryujin Gaim.

Ryugen-Yomi charged towards Ryujin Gaim with the Yomiyari and Suzakalibur, ready to cut him down.

 **[PAPAYA CHOPPER!]**

Ryujin Gaim blocked the Suzakalibur with the Papaya Chopper. Unfortunately, the Papaya Chopper was knocked out of Ryujin Gaim's hand as Ryugen-Yomi managed to disarm him. He then resumed his assault as he stabbed Ryujin Gaim with the Suzakalibur. The explosive impact blasted Ryujin Gaim backward.

"Damn..." Ryujin Gaim cursed as he twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[ICHIGO KUNAI! CARAMBOLA STARS!]**

Ryujin Gaim hurled the weapons telekinetically towards Ryugen-Yomi, but the Demon Dragon of the Underworld casually deflected them using his Yomiyari.

 **[GREEN DRAGON CRESCENT BLADE!]**

Kanu's signature weapon appeared and Ryujin Gaim took hold of it before he thrust it forward, catching Ryugen-Yomi by surprise. Swinging the guandao, Ryujin Gaim struck Ryugen-Yomi repeatedly across the chest before he sent him sliding back with a forward thrust.

 **[VIPER SPEAR! SILVER FLASH! DRAGON FANG! HEAVEN PIERCER! SHADOW FLASH!]**

The spears belonging to the Shoku Warriors hovered behind Ryujin Gaim and were pointed at Ryugen-Yomi. Ryujin Gaim thrust his hand forward, causing the spears to shoot towards Ryugen-Yomi. He managed to deflect the Viper Spear and Silver Flash, but the Dragon Fang, Heaven-Piercer and Shadow Flash struck Ryugen-Yomi painfully, sending him tumbling to the ground.

 **[HURRICANE PENG!]**

Ryugen-Yomi froze as he saw his wife's bow in Ryujin Gaim's hand.

"Recognize this weapon, Iori? It belongs to your wife! Shion! Think about her! Think about Riri!" Ryujin Gaim pleaded.

"Shion...? Riri...?"

Ryugen-Yomi shook but then his visor flashed as Jam's control took over and he charged at Ryujin Gaim.

The Hurricane Peng's bowstring was stretched, the arrows were loaded, and they were surrounded by energy. Ryujin Gaim fired all five arrows at once and the energy surrounding them took the shape of eagles. They struck Ryugen-Yomi, with explosive force, knocking him backward.

Ryujin Gaim continued to shoot Ryugen-Yomi with energy arrows, not giving him a chance to catch his second wind or retaliate. But then Ryugen-Yomi summoned Zangetsu's Baihu Claws and dashed towards Ryujin Gaim, using the clawed gauntlets to shield himself from the arrows.

Realizing the Hurricane Peng's arrows were of no use against the Baihu Claws, Ryujin Gaim quickly switched weapons.

 **[BLUNT SHATTERED BONE!]**

Gien's signature giant kanabo appeared in Ryujin Gaim's hand and he bashed it hard against Ryugen-Yomi, sending him tumbling as he screamed in pain. Ryugen-Yomi groaned as he came to a stop and looked to see Ryujin Gaim approaching.

Now the tables were turned.

"Jam, if you're watching this, then what you're seeing is the power of the Shoku Warriors as one!" declared Ryujin Gaim as he twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[MUSOU SABER! DAIDAIMARU!]**

Both summoned weapons came together to form their combined Naginata Mode. Twirling it around, Ryujin Gaim charged at Ryugen-Yomi who charged back at him with the Kiwi Gekirin. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed. When he saw an opening, Ryugen-Yomi slashed Ryujin Gaim repeatedly with the Kiwi Gekirin, showing absolutely no mercy. Another strike sent Ryujin Gaim tumbling before Ryugen-Yomi struck his Cutting Blade twice.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI AU LAIT!]**

Ryugen-Yomi flung his Kiwi Gekirin at Ryujin Gaim and they struck with explosive force before ricocheting. They then spun in the air and sliced into Ryujin Gaim again, causing sparks to erupt from his armor as he screamed in pain. A final strike sent him flying through the air and he landed roughly on the snow-covered ground.

"Ugh..." Ryujin Gaim groaned as he picked himself up, only to be blasted by Ryugen-Yomi's Budou Ryuhou. He stood back up and summoned another weapon.

 **[MELON DEFENDER!]**

He held the shield up and blocked the shots, but Ryugen-Yomi was ready for this.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

The shield exploded with purple flames as Ryujin Gaim was thrown to the snow-covered ground. He pushed himself to his feet and summoned two weapons.

 **[WIZARDSWORDGUN! HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]**

Ryujin Gaim summoned his WizardSwordGun and DJ Gun again.

Ryujin Gaim blasted at Ryugen-Yomi who dodged out of the way, the blasts destroying several unfortunate trees in their path. Ryugen-Yomi returned fire, using a tree as cover. Ryujin Gaim ducked behind a tree, gripping his two firearms.

"Well, two can play at that game," he said as he struck the Cutting Blade.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim spun out of his cover and fired. The DJ Gun shot an energy burst shaped like an orange as the WizardSwordGun fired a roaring dragon's head made of fire. The blasts hit the tree Ryugen-Yomi was hiding behind and blew it up, sending the Demon Dragon of the Underworld flying.

"Iori!" shouted Ryujin Gaim as he saw Ryugen-Yomi who was lying still in the snow. He got in close and knelt beside him. "Are you OK?"

Ryujin Gaim got his answer as Ryugen-Yomi suddenly shot him point blank with the Budou Ryuhou, painfully sending him reeling.

The Demon Dragon of the Underworld picked himself up after Playing Possum. He then continued to fire upon Ryujin Gaim who dove out of the way.

Ryugen-Yomi summoned his Yomiyari and struck his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim groaned as he looked at Ryugen-Yomi who was ready to finish him off.

Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key to summon a weapon to defend himself.

 **[RYUJINMARU!]**

Ryugen-Yomi twirled the Yomiyari around as dark energy gathered on the trident-head. He then lunged forward at Ryujin Gaim.

Ryujin Gaim deftly caught Ryugen's weapon in his left hand. He then yanked the Yomiyari back to hold it under his arm, pulling Ryugen-Yomi close.

Ryujin Gaim stabbed the Yomotsuheguri Lockseed directly, shattering it with the Ryujinmaru. Ryugen-Yomi screamed as his armor flashed before vanishing completely. He soon collapsed onto the snow, unconscious.

Ryujin Gaim dropped his Ryujinmaru in exhaustion before he tossed the Yomiyari aside.

"Come on, Iori. Let's get out of here."

" _ **You're not going anywhere.**_ "

Jam stood before Ryujin Gaim. He glared at her hatefully. She wanted them to destroy each other. That was unforgivable.

"Get out of my way!" Ryujin Gaim yelled as he took out the DJ Gun and furiously struck his Cutting Blade three times.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN HOU!"_

Ryujin Gaim fired a direct shot at Jam, but a Helheim portal opened up and swallowed the attack instead. Then, a second portal opened up behind Ryujin Gaim and he took the redirected attack in the back. The explosive shot knocked him facedown to the snow-covered ground.

As Ryujin Gaim lay in the snow, he came to a startling realization. The way Jam could summon portals like that reminded Ryujin Gaim of someone he knew.

Someone he was close to.

"No...It can't be..."

Jam hit her Cutting Blade three times, initiating her finisher.

 **[TAOWU SPARKING!]**

Jam opened a portal next to her and leaped into it just as Ryujin Gaim painfully picked himself back up. By then, it was already too late for him to prepare a counter to defend himself with.

High above him, a portal opened and Jam flew out. The roaring face of a demonic dragon made of dark energy surrounded her legs as she smashed him with a powerful dropkick.

Ryujin Gaim took a direct hit to the chest and was sent crashing to the snow-covered ground.

With his stamina drained from fighting Jam, and Ryugen-Yomi afterward, Ryujin Gaim's defense wasn't as strong as it should have been. He had the wind knocked out of him as he was thrown to the ground. The finisher also managed to dislodge his Kachidoki Lockseed as it popped out of his SengokuDriver.

He was defeated and his fate was sealed.

* * *

 **KRC:** So there's tension in the ranks, specifically focused on Nagata and Iori. Iori made his call, and Nagata disapproves, leading to a fight. Nagata doesn't know that Kochu's pregnant, which puts some significant stress on Iori.

With a baby on its way, Iori is doing everything he can to make sure the child grows up in a safe environment even if it means taking extreme measures. He does this by eliminating all potential threats without hesitation like when he headshot Nise in Helheim and left his headless body to rot there.

( **BL92:** "May he rot in hell and get fucked by a demonic kraken and give him an atomic wedgie".)

Is Iori justified or going overboard here?

Nagata doesn't know what to do. He wants peace, but so many things are threatening the peace he's trying to build. It's not going to be easy for him.

And we finally reveal Jam's secret identity.

OK, now I think that some of you may have issues about Nagata's power level in Ryujin Arms. Back in " **Azure Ascension** ", he was able to defeat Braco. By then Braco had beaten the other Armored War Gods, taking everything they threw at him. It wasn't until Nagata came back and he transformed into Ryujin Gaim that he was finally challenged and met his match. Ryujin Gaim managed to beat him, with a little help from his friends, and it still counts as a win. But in this chapter, Ryugen-Yomi was able to match him and Jam was able to knock him out.

So, what's going on?

I think the best explanation can be found at the beginning of " **The Harvest Festival** " where we find out that Nagata had fought Braco using a spiritual body. He was a spirit that manifested physically. He appeared to be composed of matter, but at the core, he was a spirit at the time. So, keeping that in mind, it's not so hard to imagine that the reason Nagata was strong enough to beat Braco was because he was no longer hampered by the limitations of a physical body. In short, he had 'ascended' (the title of the chapter Ryujin Gaim debuted is called 'Azure _Ascension_ ' after all).

This may or may not have come to mind for you all, but it just occurred to me during my daily editing. See if you can come up with your own theories.

Anyway, I do appreciate constructive criticism. I did wish for it before.

And next a response to a strongly worded review by **The** **Dude Lebowski**. Thank you for the criticism. It helps in the long run. When you say my character development is non-existent, I thought about it and I came to the realization that you are right. While I still defend and enjoy writing the story the way I want, but I can't enjoy it if it keeps stagnating. True, reviewers and critics do not dictate how I write, but the extra perspective helps me to improve. I will do my best with the advice you have given me and try to add some serious tension. Hopefully, it is not too late.

And **Dark Knight Vergil** , I'm so sorry for disappointing you. I just appreciate you sticking around for this long. I'll agree with some of your points, but I'll disagree with a few others.

I also appreciate the feedback from **The Zogg**. I am not sure I agree with all of it, but at the very least he brought a lot of good points, pointing out the flaws this story is guilty of committing. It takes a lot to say something so mean. Shows you care about the art of fanfiction.

 **Jet4281** , thank you for enjoying my writing in the past. I will try to improve the best I can. You can roast Nagata if you like.

 **D-Generation XX** , thanks for putting up with my story for as long as you did.

I take criticism as it should be taken, as consideration. And as bad as this fic has become, as some may believe, I'm still aiming to finish it to the end. I got ideas that need to be implemented and I'm going to do it. Like it or not, I'm here until the end.

And I don't think I am going to try to please everyone. Trying to appease my critics may not benefit me in the long run. I'm not saying you guys are right or wrong. You just have your perspective of what makes a good story. But if I try to please everyone, I may not please myself. So I will still write for people who still enjoy my story and yours truly. As long as there are readers, I will keep writing.

And there's nothing anyone can say that will stop me. If things go downhill and I hit rock bottom, then there is only one way I can go and it's up! Nobody is going to force me to cancel my story!

 **NOBODY!**

I still insist though: Fanfics are a hobby for me. I am enjoying a hobby and writing for fun. That is all. I don't think there is a wrong way to enjoy a hobby as long as you're having fun and not hurting anyone.

 **TFP:** Jam's begun the endgame to bring Gaim down once and for all. It seems this Dark Rider's plans may differ from that of the rest of Shoku's enemies. Jam's proven to be an expert in manipulation though. There may be more to the plan than meets the eye. Gaim's now trapped in a corner. It seems he's getting in these kinds of situations a lot lately. Don't you think?

* * *

Jam landed on her feet and looked at Nagata who was now unconscious. As soon as he landed in the snow, his armor vanished.

This was Jam's plan from the start. She wanted to wear Nagata out and wait until he dropped his guard before she subdued him herself.

Jam closed her Taowu Lockseed and removed it from her SengokuDriver, reverting herself to civilian form.

Armored War Devil Jam was **Karasu Oda** all along.

"Sorry about this, Naga-kun," Karasu apologized as she knelt down and gently sat Nagata up against a tree. Digging into her pocket, she fished out her Darkness Lockseed.

 **[DARKNESS!]**

Karasu loaded the Darkness Lockseed into Nagata's SengokuDriver and locked it in.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

"You'll thank me for this later," Karasu assured as she gripped the Cutting Blade.

Whether she was trying to convince him or herself was debatable.

 **[SOIYA! DARKNESS ARMS! ANKOKU NO KAJITSU!]**

Nagata screamed as his Ride Wear suit formed while Karasu stood back to witness his new transformation. He involuntarily rose to his feet as the Darkness Arms Armor materialized over his body. His visor flashed before fading into a soulless black color that was framed in violet flames. His Ride Wear suit slowly began to change as the blue color shifted to pitch black.

He had been turned into **Gaim-Darkness**.

Karasu smiled fondly as she caressed Gaim-Darkness' masked face.

"Now we can be _together_ , and together we'll _destroy_ everything that threatens to tear us apart," Karasu promised as she put her arms around him in a hug and kissed his faceplate.

He didn't respond, but right now she didn't care.

She now had her Naga-kun all to herself, as it was meant to be.

An insect swarm enveloped the two Odas before it took off, carrying them with it.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #18A: SUSPICIONS**

"I'm telling you, there's something weird about your cousin," Iori insisted.

"And I'm telling you that you're being unnecessarily paranoid," Nagata brushed off.

"I've seen her do some disturbing things, like stabbing her doll collection and wringing her hands while laughing maniacally," Iori claimed.

"So? Kara-chan's eccentric. She just expresses herself differently. As for her dolls, she's just playing with them in her own way."

"I wouldn't call it 'playing'. And for all we know, she might be secretly Jam."

"There's no way she's Jam."

"How can you be sure?"

Nagata pointed.

"Because Jam is fighting Kara-chan right _there_."

Iori watched as Jam and Idunn fought before the latter sent the former packing with a sword slash. Idunn waved at Nagata who waved back.

"See? You can trust Kara-chan. Now if you'll excuse me, I got some training to do," said Nagata.

Iori watched as his leader walked back to his office before turning his glare towards Idunn who gave him a finger wave. Iori turned away for a moment when Jam reformed and waved behind his back. Jam dispersed as he turned back to look at Idunn.

Suspicious, he did the 'I'm watching you' gesture before walking off in the opposite direction.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #18B: I WATCH YOU SLEEP**

Karasu loved her cousin very much. Some might say she was obsessive, even possessive of him. But Karasu knew her love for him was true.

So, she took whatever chance she had... _to watch him sleep_.

Nagata was lying in bed with Bacho when the girl woke up. She needed to use the bathroom. As she got out of his bed and the warmth of his embrace, Bacho heard a strange creaking sound.

"What...?"

Bacho focused and saw a dark figure sitting in a corner. They were sitting in a rocking chair. The dark figure had red eyes and looking straight at Bacho.

This caused the brunette to freeze up.

The dark figure, who was Karasu in a rocking chair, spoke softly and firmly.

"Go back to sleep," Karasu ordered.

Bacho silently nodded and slipped back into bed with Nagata. All plans to go to the bathroom were gone as she tried to fall back asleep. However, she could feel Karasu's eyes on her.

She hoped this was just a bad dream.

Karasu stood up from her rocking chair and walked over to Nagata's side. She caressed his hair and smiled.

"You're very precious to me."

She went back to her rocking chair and continued to watch him sleep.

Bacho never got back to sleep. She was trying not to wet herself while Karasu watched.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #18C: BATAI THE PRANKSTER**

Nagata had fallen asleep at his desk after pulling an all-nighter. As he was in a deep sleep, he did not notice someone sneaking into his office.

Batai snickered to herself as she approached him. She picked up his ink brush and dipped it into the ink before she drew on his face.

Once she was done, she chuckled and exited his office.

~LATER~

Chou'un took out her menma jar. She was looking forward to enjoying her favorite snack with wine. It was the perfect accompaniment.

She opened the seal and was assaulted by a terrible stench.

Looking inside the jar, she saw that her menma had been replaced by fish.

As Chou'un let out a scream, Batai skipped away with a laugh.

~LATER~

Ryofu was taking a walk with her dogs when she found a meat bun on the ground. There was nothing suspicious about it.

The trail of meat buns was not suspicious at all either.

She picked them up and fed them to her dogs, picking them up as she followed the trail.

She found the last one deep in the forest.

All of a sudden, a noose tied around her ankles and hauled her up a tree.

She hung upside down, holding a meat bun as her dogs barked.

"Sekito, go get help," Ryofu ordered.

Sekito barked and went off to find help.

While she waited, Ryofu would just enjoy the meat bun in her hand.

~LATER~

Batai whistled as she removed her robe. The bath was nice. It was a shame she could not stay longer.

As she went to get dressed, she felt a weird crawling sensation on her skin.

Looking down at her arm, she saw bugs crawling all over it.

She screamed as she tried to swat the bugs away, only for them to crawl all over her other arm. More and more bugs crawled up her bare legs and naked body.

She screamed as she danced around like a monkey with its ass on fire.

As Batai screamed and around her room like a chicken with its head cut off, she did not notice Poe perched on her windowsill and was watching her.

Karasu sat in her room and smiled as she watched via her mask.

"Serves you right for pulling those pranks."

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #18D: MARTY STU**

Nagata was directing a school play when he was approached by Iori and Hideyoshi.

"Nagata, there's something we need to ask you," said Iori.

"Yes, what is it?" Nagata asked.

"It's about the script," Iori started. "How do I put this delicately...?"

"It's garbage," Hideyoshi concluded.

"Yes, it's garbage."

"Garbage!?" Nagata exclaimed. "But I wrote it!"

"Well that explains it," Hideyoshi remarked.

Nagata narrowed his eyes at Hideyoshi.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Well, it's the protagonist. He's like an idealized version of you. He's _too_ perfect."

"Too perfect? I gave him flaws!"

"Well, these 'flaws' were added in so you can milk sympathy from the audience." Hideyoshi flipped through the pages as he continued, "I mean, it just says how his childhood sucked when his parents died, but he got amnesia and was adopted by his aunt and uncle. Besides that black spot in his life, the rest of his life is just all nice and dandy. What do you call that?"

"A 'Marty Stu'," Iori supplied.

"Yes, a 'Marty Stu'!"

Nagata squared his jaw and growled, "You are ruining my vision!"

"Nagata, I'm your friend, but this play seems like blatant wish-fulfilment. You're the hero, you get all the princesses and in the end, there's a huge love scene," Iori argued.

"Sounds like you're overcompensating," Hideyoshi remarked.

Nagata turned away and stormed off with a huff.

"Sheesh, can't take criticism, can he?" Hideyoshi asked Iori.

"No, he cannot," Iori confessed.


	28. Interlude V: A Broken Blackbird

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Interlude V: A Broken Blackbird**

When I first came to this world, I wasn't surprised to see that scum and villainy existed in this day and age. After all, humanity has always had a dark side since the very moment it existed.

But what I saw fueled me with rage.

I spotted a gang of bandits gang-raping an innocent girl. She screamed loudly, begging them to stop, but they laughed as they continued to force themselves on her. She was weak and helpless against them as they took turns using her for their own pleasure.

The sight of her being violated like that reminded me of my own traumatic experience.

I didn't think twice about it.

I just reacted as I drew my sword and struck.

As I took them by surprise, I wasted no time as I slew the bandits in a matter of seconds. The girl they were violating just stared at me with wide eyes of terror. Some of the blood splattered on her and she looked shaken up.

"Get dressed. Go home," I ordered as I sheathed my sword. I did not want to repeat myself.

Fortunately, she heeded my words and fled, not once looking back. I did think it was rude of her as she did not even thank me, but I cared little for gratitude.

It was only satisfaction I sought for, a way to fill the void in my heart.

As I walked away, I noticed that I was being watched. And then I heard clapping. I quickly turned, drawing my blade and pointing it threateningly at whoever it was.

I paused as I recognized the man and re-sheathed my sword.

"Ukitsu."

He was the one who brought me to this world.

I remembered how it happened like it was only yesterday.

* * *

" _No, please no! No!"_

 _ **Whack! Whack! WHACK!**_

 _It took only three blows to the head before he was knocked unconscious. Gripped tightly in my hands was my blood-stained bokken._

 _My blouse was torn open and I had bruises on my chest and thighs. I felt a bruise on the side of my face and my hair was a mess._

 _Tears fell from my eyes._

 _Tears of misery and despair._

 _I studied my surroundings as I stood in the middle of a dirty alleyway. Sprawled around me, injured, were four young men that I had beaten to near death._

 _They deserved it. They had assaulted me, dragged me into this alley, and took turns violating me as they held me down._

 _I gazed upon the blood that stained my wooden sword and my lips spread into a wicked smile. But then my smile vanished as I cried._

" _Naga-kun...Naga-kun..."_

 _He was not here. If he was here he would not have let this happen. I had no choice but to avenge myself now._

 _I stared down at the knife lying on the ground. It had been used to cut my clothes open. I dropped my bokken and picked it up._

 _I glared at the men who had violated me and my eyes narrowed with hot rage burning inside of them._

 _I walked over to the one closest to me and knelt down._

 _At that very moment, he regained consciousness to see the knife in my hand._

 _And he understood what I wanted to do as his eyes widened in terror._

" _No...Please no..."_

 _That look of absolute terror convinced me to do this._

 _He would feel my pain and more._

 _I raised the knife and brought it down._

" _NOOOOOOOO!"_

 _I brought it down, again and again, driving the blade repeatedly into his flesh._

 _He screamed and cried, tears streaming down his face, as I stabbed him repeatedly. Blood spewed from his mouth as he gurgled. Some of his blood splattered on him._

 _I would not stop until I was satisfied._

 _And then he stopped crying and went still._

 _Well, it wasn't like he was going to stop if I let him live anyway. For scum like him and his friends, they deserved death for their sins._

 _I stood up and went to finish the job. There were still a three of them left, lying sprawled around me._

 _Better I kill them now before they woke up and got away from me._

 _I kicked one over onto his back and knelt down. With my fervor spent on my first victim, I decided to just slit his throat and be done with it._

 _And then I did the same to the remaining two._

 _It did not take long before I was finished with them._

 _And soon it started to rain._

 _I stood silently, gazing at my surroundings with my hand still holding the blood-stained knife. It dripped with a fresh vermillion color from its tip._

 _Sprawled around me were corpses._

 _I felt like I was in a daze._

 _Suddenly, I felt my strength leaving my body as I slumped down to the ground, uncaring of the growing pools of blood surrounding me. I took a moment to stare at my blood-stained hands, dropping the knife in the process._

 _And then...I laughed. "Ha...ha." It came out soft and slow at first. "Ha, ha, ha, ha...!" And then turned into a full-blown insane cackle._

" _HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

 _As I laughed in the darkness, tears ran down my face._

 _Before long, my laughter died and turned into sobs as I buried my face in my blood-stained hands._

 _I sobbed, repeating, "Naga-kun...Naga-kun...Naga-kun..."_

 _But no matter how many times I desperately called his name, he never came._

" _Naga-kun..."_

 _But what was the point of calling him now...?_

 _Would Naga-kun even come to me after what I had done...?_

 _Would he accept me after I did something so terrible...?_

 _Would he even understand...?_

 _No, he wouldn't._

 _He would never accept it._

 _ **NEVER!**_

 _He must_ _ **never**_ _know._

" _Are you alright?"_

 _It was a man in glasses._

" _Who are you?" I asked warily. If he tried anything, I would strike him down._

" _Just someone who heard a cry for help. Tell me, did you do all this?" he asked, referring to the bodies on the ground._

 _I saw no harm in confessing to him._

" _They hurt me, so I made them pay."_

" _Did you now?"_

" _They deserved it."_

" _Indeed they did. Pardon my manners. I should introduce myself. My name is Ukitsu. What may I call you?"_

" _My name is Karasu Oda."_

" _Oda, huh? Guess you must be related to Nagata Oda."_

 _When he said Naga-kun's name, I instantly confronted him._

" _Do you know where I can find him?"_

 _If he did not tell me what I needed to know, I would force the answers from him. I had already crossed the line with murder._

" _Better. I know a way for you to bring him home with you. That is what you want, is it not?"_

 _How could I refuse?_

" _Yes."_

" _Well, I'm sure we can work out a deal then. Now, come with me. We have much to talk about."_

* * *

"What do you want?" I asked Ukitsu. I did not mean to sound rude, but I was still wary of him.

After all, he only recruited me because he wanted my help. In exchange for my help, he would help me get Naga-kun back.

"I have something to give you."

Ukitsu handed me a Lockseed. It was not like any Lockseed I had ever seen before. It appeared to be some kind of eyeball clutched in a set of sharp claws.

"I hope you'll find it useful."

"Thank you."

He soon vanished, leaving me alone.

As I headed back to Touka Village, I took a moment to appraise the Lockseed Ukitsu had given to me. My eyes locked on its design and the eyeball seemed to be looking back at me.

Maybe this Lockseed could give me the power to finally make all my dreams come true.

My dream was my ambition and it was my only reason for living.

I would make my dream a reality.

It was just unfortunate that I would have to deceive Naga-kun in order to do so, but I could deal with it. This was the path I had chosen and I would go through with it until I succeeded.

As long as no one stood in my way, nobody else would need to suffer.

* * *

 _I checked to see that nobody could see me and closed my Darkness Lockseed before it changed back into the Ringo Lockseed. This caused my armor to disperse in the form of black insects that hovered next to me._

 _I then sliced open the Lockseed again with the Cutting Blade._

 _ **[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]**_

 _The Forbidden Ringo Armor Part dropped down on my head and opened up to reveal my helmet as Idunn. I then performed a gesture and the swarm of black insects merged together to form an exact duplicate of Jam, complete with the weapons._

" _Let's make this look good," I said to my body double as I brandished my sword and shield. At any moment, Naga-kun would arrive, so it was necessary for him to see the two of us fighting._

 _He had to believe this was real._

* * *

I did that so that I could throw off any suspicion on myself. That way, he could never suspect me of being Jam. It also helped me get closer to Naga-kun. It made him believe he could rely on me to face any enemy with him.

He already trusted me and by helping him face 'Jam' that trust grew, which would be beneficial for me in the long run.

Honestly, part of me felt guilty about deceiving him like that, but I did what needed to be done for both our sakes.

For me and Naga-kun to be together, forever.

* * *

 _While fighting the Kurokage Troopers, Kanu watched as her men were being slaughtered. She gripped her guandao tightly as she bravely faced the enemy. But they were being overwhelmed. They needed to retreat._

 _ **[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]**_

 _I performed a circular slash, killing the Kurokage Troopers surrounding me as I forced them out of their armor._

 _"Idunn-sama, please open a portal for us so we can retreat!" Kanu requested. All of a sudden, she took a hard blow to the back of the head and collapsed onto the forest floor._

 _"Idunn-sama!?" one of the Shoku soldiers yelled in confusion. He had just witnessed me knock out Kanu Unchou with the pommel of my sword. Suddenly, I cut him down and he fell as his blood stained my sword._

 _Nise could only stare in shock at this sudden act of betrayal. He definitely had not seen this coming._

 _While the Kurokage Troopers were killing what was left of Kanu's group, a question hung from the tip of his tongue._

 _"She's all yours," I said before he could say anything. With that said, I opened up a Helheim portal behind me and turned around to step through it._

* * *

When I returned to the castle with self-inflicted wounds, I made up a convincing tale of how Kanu was captured by the enemy.

I should have told Naga-kun that Kanu was dead, but he would still go and retrieve her body for a proper burial. Without a body, Naga-kun would know I was lying, so I had no choice but to tell him that Kanu had been captured instead in order to avoid suspicion.

Later, I found Nise's camp and snuck into his tent, ready to kill Kanu. That was when Naga-kun himself stopped me. I didn't think he would be able to find Kanu so quickly! My plan to comfort him in his grief was completely ruined!

I loved my second cousin dearly. He was strong. Unlike those fools of the main family, I recognized his potential.

Unfortunately, he lacked Nobunaga's fangs and ambition.

I had always admired our ancestor, Oda Nobunaga. The people in his time called him the " _Fool of Owari_ ", but I recognized him under the title " _Demon King of the Sixth Heaven_ ". The way he flawlessly executed his plans and ran his military campaigns was ruthless and without mercy. It was just unfortunate that he died, betrayed by his own trusted advisor, but at least he was able to accomplish his ambition.

And now, here I was, in a position to help Naga-kun become the great man I knew he could be. He had power, great power, but he just didn't know how to use it properly.

Fortunately, that could be easily rectified. He just needed the right kind of influence. With the right influence, he would be ruling this entire country.

He was the strongest of the Armored War Gods. His victory over Braco when the others could not even touch him was proof enough.

I giggled. My plans would need revising, but I couldn't help but feel elated at how strong he was. It was such a shame he chose to come here, but to see him become so strong now made it all worth it.

" _The Great Dragon Emperor of the Celestial Heavens_ ," I said to myself as I grinned. "That has a _nice_ ring to it."

I'm sure he'll be able to forgive me for everything I've done.

He'll understand.

After all, we are **family**.

And soon he will be **mine**.

And it was only a matter of time before he became mine, and **mine alone**.

I would no longer have to feel this **emptiness** ever again.

I'll make sure of it.

* * *

 **KRC:** This was originally called **"The Dark Origins of a Lovesick Yandere Cousin"** but I decided to change it to **"Broken Blackbird"** to show how broken Karasu really is. In this interlude, we see how Karasu got to where she is now, told from her perspective, and it's actually pretty tragic if I do say so myself. She ends up recruited straight after a traumatic event. The promise of seeing Nagata really shows her vulnerable side. It shows how much she needed him and he was not there. So, Ukitsu managed to take advantage of a broken girl. A broken blackbird of a girl. Almost makes you feel sympathetic towards her don't you think? Oh, and **Bebop Wolf** , thank you for appreciating Karasu Oda.


	29. Judas Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

One might call it a beautiful night. The moon was full and the stars were shining. However, the full moon's glow was a bright blood red. To most people, a blood red moon was an ominous sign and considered a terrible omen. But to Karasu, it was a magnificent sight. It was like one huge ruby shining in the black sky.

Karasu gazed up into the night's sky with Nagata standing beside her. He was wearing the custom black and purple outfit she had made for him. The hood was up, obscuring his face with the shadow it cast. Strapped around his waist was his SengokuDriver, with the currently closed Darkness Lockseed locked in the Drive Bay.

Together, they appreciated the sight of the blood red moon.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it, Naga-kun?" Karasu asked as she hugged Nagata's arm.

He gave her a nod.

"You like spending time with me, don't you?"

He nodded again.

"That's good. I thought you weren't enjoying yourself," Karasu said as her smile turned into a frown. "Unfortunately, we still have a problem. Those girls are still alive and won't rest until they steal you away from me again." Her grin reappeared as she got a wicked idea. "I think I know what we should do for our next date. Come on, Naga-kun."

He gave her a nod.

Karasu felt a cold chill but instead of showing discomfort, there was a sense of familiarity. She spotted a blood red figure emerging from the darkness and he stopped a few feet away from the pair.

"You seem geared up for some fun," the Rider in blood red armor said.

"Saver," Karasu greeted.

"So, you're finally making your move. With how long you were taking, I almost thought you were having second thoughts."

"I could say the same to you."

"A perfect plan takes time and preparation, Shinigami. _Rome wasn't built in a day._ When the time comes, I want to see him fall into true despair as he watches his fantasy life crumble before his eyes."

"I wish you luck then," said Karasu sincerely.

"And same to you," Saver returned before he vanished like a ghost.

Smiling, Karasu turned her loving attention towards her beloved cousin.

"Let's make history and create an empire of our own together," Karasu declared and she put on her mask.

The dark insect swarm surrounded Karasu and Nagata before it morphed into the shape of a giant crow. The giant crow-like gestalt spread its wings and took off, carrying its passengers.

The pitch black wings of the Shinigami shall spread only death and despair.

Shoku would fall.

And the earth will be dyed red with **blood**.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 19-1: Judas (Part 1)**

* * *

The sun rose and a new day greeted the inhabitants of Ancient China. However, it would not be a good morning for some.

Inside Touka Village itself, specifically the castle, the Shoku Warriors were searching through the halls for their leader and his fellow Armored War Gods.

All three of them had not been seen since the day started and now they were getting worried. It wasn't like any of them to shirk their responsibilities.

If Nagata did not wake up to make breakfast, Kanu would normally go to wake him up. When she saw that his bed was empty, she thought he had gone out to do his normal morning meditation in the garden.

Kochu woke up to find the space her husband occupied next to her on the bed to be empty as well. They would always wake up together.

As for Karasu, she was missing too.

Something was definitely wrong.

After searching the many wings, the ladies reconvened to see if any of the others had found anything. So far, they were met with disappointment and more worry.

"Aisha, I can't find Nagata-sama anywhere," Ryuubi said worriedly.

"Have you tried his office?"

"Yes."

"The garden?"

"Yes."

"The courtyard? How about the marketplace? Maybe the training grounds?"

"Yes, I've checked all those places, and before you ask I've also checked the kitchen."

"I can't find Onii-chan either," said Chouhi. She had literally gone sniffing around for her big brother. Like a game of Hide and Seek, she had looked for him under his bed, in his closet, and even down in the basement. She even lifted a huge rock to see if he was hiding underneath it.

"I haven't found him either," said Ryofu. She had sent her dogs to pick up Nagata's scent. Unfortunately, none of them were able to locate him.

"Are you all still looking for Nagata-sama?" Kochu asked as she arrived with Riri in tow.

"Yes," Kanu, Chouhi, and Ryuubi answered in unison.

"Have you found Iori-sama, Shion?" Chou'un asked.

"I can't find him anywhere. I don't think he came home last night," Kochu answered worriedly.

"Daddy's gone," Riri added as she worriedly clutched her Ryugen doll.

"Don't worry, Riri. Daddy will be back," Kochu said as she patted Riri's head comfortingly. She could only hope Iori returned.

"And Idunn-sama's not here either," said Kanu.

"We're definitely vulnerable without any of them here," said Ryuubi.

If their enemies ever found out that Touka Village was without their Armored War Gods, they would attack en masse and crush them. It had happened before when Nagata was in a coma.

"Where on Earth could they have gone...?" Ryuubi pondered aloud.

Had they returned to Heaven last night? Were they called away elsewhere and did not have time to tell them?

For whatever reason, all their Armored War Gods were missing.

This was bad.

* * *

As the older girls were meeting up after they searched for their resident Armored War Gods, their resident strategist was on a mission of her own. When Karasu, Nagata, and Iori went missing, Komei took it upon herself to investigate.

With the Shinigami absent, there was little chance of her getting caught. With so much suspicion abound, Komei plucked up her courage and decided to search in one of the few places no one would dare pry.

Karasu's room.

Komei wasn't alone, though. Hoto was with her. Komei might have found the courage to search Karasu's room, but she was not foolish enough to do it alone.

"Are you sure we should be snooping around in _her_ room?" Hoto asked as Komei produced a key. Hoto had reason to be nervous. When she first met Karasu, she realized how scary Nagata's cousin was. It was like she was always looking to kill someone.

"I just need to check for something," said Komei as she unlocked the padlock.

"Something?" Hoto blinked.

"Yes, _something_."

Recent events had brought clouds of suspicion to her mind and the current situation made it so that she was no longer able to just wait and observe.

It all started some time ago when Iori had come to her.

* * *

" _Hey, Shuri. I need to talk to you about something."_

" _What is it, Iori-sama?"_

" _Do you think Nagata's cousin is hiding something?"_

" _What makes you say that?"_

" _Just a gut feeling. It just seems like she's not being completely honest with us."_

" _We all have our secrets."_

" _I know that, but I just have this feeling that whatever she's hiding is dangerous. Look, if I were you, I'd be careful around her. I also wouldn't recommend being in the same room alone with her."_

" _Thank you for your advice, Iori-sama."_

" _No problem. Just be careful, OK?"_

* * *

Iori wouldn't have told Komei that if he didn't suspect something. To be honest, Komei always felt there was something off about Karasu. The only reason she didn't mention it to Nagata was that he trusted his cousin, and they trusted Nagata's judgment.

Now, Nagata, Karasu, and Iori were missing under suspicious circumstances. Before this, Nagata had confided in her and told her there might be a traitor in their midst.

This could not be a coincidence.

Komei removed the padlock and pushed open the door of Karasu's bedroom. Both girls felt an uncomfortable chill. It felt unnaturally cold.

That was definitely a sign that something was amiss.

"What are you going to do?" Hoto asked.

"I'm going to check her drawers. You check her closet," Komei instructed. The table's drawers didn't have locks so Komei didn't have any trouble opening them.

When she opened the top drawer, Komei came across something that might give her some answers.

She had found Karasu's journal.

Suddenly, Hoto screamed.

Gasping, Komei turned around and saw Hoto buried under a pile of dolls, dolls that resembled their friends, dolls that looked like they had been torn apart and sewn back together, over and over. That alone raised some flags. It was like they had been used for some kind of wicked ritual, as a proxy for the actual people while the practitioner mutilated the dolls.

"This...this is just... _unsettling_ ," said Hoto as she examined the Ryuubi doll with stitches covering its body. She saw the book Komei was holding. "What is that?"

"I think it's her journal, and I might get some clues from it," Komei nodded, opening the journal. Hoto joined her to read it together.

The journal started off rather odd. It spoke mainly about Nagata and observations Karasu made about him. Things she considered cute, sexy, or downright manly. It was quickly obvious that Karasu was deeply infatuated with her cousin. Not that Komei saw anything wrong with that, as cousins wed plenty of times in their world. Although the depictions of weddings and honeymoons did make her blush and Hoto to break out in embarrassed mumblings.

The erotic content of the journal was _extremely_ steamy and graphic.

After it reached a certain point though, the writings grew darker and more unsettling.

The lines showed pure rage and jealousy at all the women that surrounded Nagata. At first, this was mostly aimed at Kanu, but after the time the other girls decided they wished to share, the writings grew even more violent and hateful.

More warning flags were raised.

There was definitely something wrong with Karasu, and it wasn't just her apparent bloodlust. She was obsessed with Nagata to the point of insanity and she was apparently taking steps to try and isolate him from them so she could take him for herself.

Komei grew increasingly more and more unsettled and alarmed with each entry she read. There was one entry about how she killed Zhong while he was in prison:

' _I can't believe Naga-kun would let him live. The man is a scum and he doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as Naga-kun. Fortunately, I am here to correct Naga-kun's mistake. So, I gave the piece of scum the death he deserved. I don't feel too bad about it. I was just giving him his just desserts.'_

Then there was another entry of when Karasu tried to murder Kanu:

' _While Naga-kun was busy with that imposter Zangetsu, I had my chance to kill Kanu. However, the weakling wasn't able to buy me more time. In order to get away, I had to scare Naga-kun. Fortunately, none of them suspect a thing and I would soon have my chance to accomplish my goal.'_

' _Naga-kun will be MINE!'_

Komei paled in horror as she found that particular entry. She recalled when Nagata told her of how Jam had tried to kill Kanu. But from the writing, Karasu was claiming credit for Jam's deed.

It quickly dawned on Komei that Karasu and Jam were, in fact, one and the same. She had adopted a dual identity to remain close to Nagata, but also try to destroy the Shoku Warriors from within.

Komei wasn't one to jump to conclusions, but all the evidence was stacking up.

Karasu was **the traitor**.

"W-W-What?" Hoto squeaked.

"I can't believe this…Idunn-sama why?" Komei asked in disbelief. They did not want to believe it was true, but the evidence was there.

How had she kept all this hidden from them?

The two could not stop as they continued from one terrible entry to the next. Each entry was more horrific than the last.

As they reached the end of the last entry, Komei turned downright terrified. The final pages of Karasu's journal were filled with all her plans. This included what she planned for everyone living in the castle, and it wasn't anything good.

She even included illustrations.

 _Very_ vivid illustration.

While each entry was already filled with pretty disturbing content, it was the drawings Karasu added in the pages that truly revealed how truly horrific their lord's cousin's thoughts were.

The horrible things she wanted to do to them, the terrible things she dreamt about, it was all there in her journal. All of her plans seemed pretty well thought out and neatly designed from the very start, leaving little to no room for error.

She left absolutely nothing out.

Komei slammed the journal shut, horrified by its contents. Her face was pale and she broke out in cold sweat. Hoto did not fare any better.

"W-We have to tell the others about this!" Komei cried urgently.

Hoto silently agreed.

Komei and Hoto burst from Karasu's room, bringing the journal with them and running through the halls with great urgency. They had to tell the others and quickly! Fortunately, they knew that the others were going to discuss what to do in the meeting room. Likely everyone would be there.

Neither of them saw the pile of dolls beginning to move.

Fortunately, their guess was proven right as they stormed into the room.

"Aisha! Everyone!" Komei cried out as she and Hoto ran towards them.

"What is it?" Aisha asked.

"Yeah, what's with you, Shuri?" Bacho asked as the two little girls caught their breath.

" _This_!" Komei held up Karasu's journal. "You _need_ to read it!"

"Why?" Chouhi asked confused.

"Just read it!" Komei insisted like it was a matter of life or death.

"Calm down. Give it here," Chou'un said, as she took the journal and the girls gathered around to read it.

And almost instantly, the girls reacted horribly to what they read.

They reacted exactly like Komei and Hoto had when they read the journal.

"Weeks ago, Nagata-sama told me that we might have a traitor in our midst, but we never found any clues until now. Based on the contents of this journal and the dolls we found, I think Idunn-sama…is the traitor..." Komei explained.

"What?!" Chouhi squeaked in surprise.

"That's…" Kanu said in disbelief.

"It can't be…" Ryuubi gasped.

"What dolls?" Chou'un asked.

"I knew she was weird, but…oh gods, I'm gonna hurl," Bacho gagged, covering her mouth before backing off. As a warrior, she was accustomed to a certain level of violence. But Karasu's vividly horrific descriptions of the 'punishment' she had planned for them were just too much for her.

Many of the entries describing Karasu's intentions toward them were particularly gruesome, especially on days she knew Nagata had been intimate with them.

How did she even know what they did during sex?!

"So, you mentioned dolls," Chou'un prompted.

"Idunn-sama made dolls of you all," Hoto trembled. "They looked like they had been torn apart then put back together, repeatedly. It was like she was using them to vent out her anger and frustration. She despised you all."

"How could we not have realized it?" Ryuubi wondered, horrified.

"She was good at deceiving us," Kanu growled angrily, Karasu's betrayal had opened up familiar wounds. Nise had earned their trust too, only to stab them in the back in the end. Now it was happening again.

"And now Nagata-sama and Iori-sama are gone," Ryuubi said quietly.

"I don't think we have to guess what happened to them in light of this," said Chou'un.

It was pretty obvious that Karasu had done something to Nagata and Iori.

All of a sudden, Hoto screamed and everyone turned their gazes towards the entrance of the Round Table room.

Standing in the doorway was a monster. It had a humanoid shape, but it looked like it was made from numerous dolls being piled together. They were the dolls that Karasu had made as a form of stress relief.

The humanoid shambled into the room. Komei and Hoto quickly went under the table to hide as the Shoku Warriors raised their weapons.

"What manner of monstrosity is this!?" Kanu cried.

"Whatever it is, we have to kill it, Onee-chan!" shouted Chouhi.

The living doll pile then lunged toward the closest target. It happened to be Ryuubi and she screamed. Suddenly, Ryofu stepped forward and she made the humanoid doll pile burst into pieces with a single punch.

"Wow, that's one strong punch," Bacho complimented.

But it was not over. The dolls stood up and began to stagger toward the Shoku Warriors. One doll jumped and latched onto Kanu's chest.

Kanu was normally fearless and composed. However, she was also afraid of ghosts and these living dolls looked like they were haunted.

She screamed and tore the doll off her chest and stomped on it. The other dolls began attacking the other Shoku Warriors. They were just so many of them.

Hoto and Komei screamed as one of the dolls was coming for them and they crawled out from under the table.

"Hawawawawawa!"

"Awawawawawa!"

The Shoku Warriors fought off the dolls the best they could, but they still struggled.

What kind of dark magic could bring these dolls to life?

"Shuri! Hinari! Get Kada!" Kanu shouted as another doll leaped at her face but was knocked into the wall by Chouhi.

"No need! I got this!" Komei swiftly took out a talisman. "Let's hope this works!" She recited the chant and the writing on the talisman glowed before releasing a flash of light. The dolls were exposed to the light and dropped to the ground, completely still.

They were normal, albeit disturbing looking, dolls again.

Kanu and Chouhi's hearts were racing. That had to be one of the scariest things they had ever experienced.

"Why couldn't you do that earlier?" Chouhi demanded.

"Hawawawa! I'm sorry! I panicked!" Komei answered.

"What the hell just happened!?" Bacho cried out.

"I'm guessing now that we know the truth, Idunn-sama wants us dead," said Chou'un as she kicked a doll aside.

"Don't call her _that_ ," Kanu spat. "She no longer deserves the honor."

A panicked guard suddenly ran into the meeting room.

"Kanu-dono! Everyone! An army of monsters is marching towards us!"

As the Shoku Warriors went to deal with this matter, they left the dolls behind.

A locust crawled out from one of the dolls before it died and turned to dust.

* * *

There was a storm coming. A huge and black cloud hovered above Touka Village, blocking the sun and casting a dark shade over the village. This cloud was alive. It was made up of a massive swarm of insects.

A legion of insectoid creatures was headed towards Touka Village. They crossed the wide fields, marching on foot or gliding in the air.

These insectoid beings-these hordes of Locust Kaijin-did not look friendly. Their blood red eyes gleamed as if they were eager to spill blood.

Leading the march of the Locust Kaijin was none other than Nagata and Karasu.

They soon stopped as they spotted Touka Village in the distance.

The insectoid army did not storm the village. Karasu did not want that, at least not yet. There would be no point in starting an empire for her Naga-kun if they slaughtered all of the people indiscriminately. Besides, it would upset Naga-kun if she did that. Plus, they needed subjects to worship and serve them.

Instead, she called upon her swarm to gather under their feet, forming a cloud. The insect cloud lifted both Karasu and Nagata into the air, followed by a unit of her insectoid monsters.

They would show mercy to those who surrendered to the new order and kill those who resisted.

But there were those who would have to die regardless.

Villagers screamed and soldiers moved to defend, but Karasu did not give them much attention. The Locust Kaijin would deal with them if they attacked. What was drawing Karasu's attention stood at the forefront of the soldiers.

The Shoku Warriors had come together to lead the fight. They were gathered in front of the castle, ready to defend it and the village with their lives. They weren't just in their usual battle attire though, but something new altogether. It was something Karasu had only base information on.

In the weeks prior, Nagata had given the members of his court their own magatama, allowing them to summon their own armor as well.

Kanu was in her **Ogre Warrior Armor**.

Ryuubi was in her **Dragon Fighter Armor**.

Chouhi was in her **Lightning Viper Armor**.

These were the armor he had given to them on the night Bujin Gaim came. The rest were new, though.

Ryofu's armor was black and gold with a phoenix on the front and pauldrons that resembled bird wings. A black helmet with a green visor covered her head. The helmet's head crest resembled a gold phoenix with its wings spread.

Ryofu had transformed into **Black Phoenix Ryofu Hosen**.

Bacho wore a black bodysuit with blue armor. The armor included a skirt hanging from a gold belt. The helmet she wore was modeled after a Roman Galea with a black crest on top. A round black spaulder was mounted on her right shoulder while a golden Qilin's head was mounted on her left shoulder.

Bacho had become **Splendid Flash Bacho Moki**.

Like her cousin, Batai wore a similar suit of armor. The helmet was the same as Bacho's, but it had a black visor to cover her eyes. The Qilin's head was mounted on her right shoulder instead and her bodysuit was orange. Her armor was black with orange trim. It also had a booster pack on the back for speed.

Batai had become **Swift Shadow Batai**.

Kochu's armor was white with pink trim and worn over her dress. Under her dress was a bodysuit with pink boots that reached up to her thigh and matching elbow-length gloves. She wore a gauntlet shield on her left arm and in her right hand was her Hurricane Peng bow. Over her head, she wore a black and silver helmet that was modeled after a hawk with a mechanical targeting monocle over her right eye.

Kochu had become **Hurricane Archer Kochu Kansho**.

Chou'un's armor seemed lightweight and form-fitting. The bodysuit was blue and the body armor was a darker shade. She had golden butterfly wings on her back and her helmet had a butterfly-shaped head crest on the brow. Her Kachou Kamen mask covered her face.

Chou'un had become **Blue Butterfly Mask Chou'un Shiryuu**.

Gien's own suit of armor was black with a bear's face on the chest. The protective bodysuit was orange. She was equipped with a pair of gauntlets that resembled bear paws. She also gained black steel boots and a pair of boosters on her back to help increase her speed. She wore a black helmet that looked like a bear's head with a white stripe in the middle.

Gien had become **Bone Shattering Beast Brawler Gien Buncho**.

The insect cloud slowly descended to drop off Nagata and Karasu. Nagata stepped off the cloud first before he took Karasu's hand to help her down.

"Thank you, Naga-kun. You are such a sweet gentleman."

Nagata silently nodded in response.

Karasu gave the group of armored warrior women a cordial smile.

"I see you've decided to honor us with a welcome. You even got dressed for the occasion. We're honored, thank you," said Karasu warmly. Inside though, she was seething because Nagata had given all of those girls their own special suits of armor.

What did they do to deserve such gifts?! No doubt they used his hormones to leech power for themselves! Well, once she killed them all she would take those powers back and give them to more deserving minions.

"So, did you girls like my gifts?" Karasu asked.

"You mean those creepy dolls you left for us? Yeah, we took care of them," said Bacho.

Kanu noticed that Nagata was standing silently beside Karasu. He did not seem to be resisting her, but the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter knew there was something wrong with him.

"What have you done to Nagata-sama, Karasu!?" Kanu snarled. Any ounce of respect she once had for Karasu was now gone.

"I've only shown him the truth," Karasu answered.

"Please, tell us why Idunn-sama?" Ryuubi pleaded. "We were comrades, friends even!"

"I do not make friends with _whores!_ " Karasu snarled. "And I freed Naga-kun from your damn manipulations! Now he will be what an Oda is always meant to be! A supreme ruler! A foundation for our empire will be set with your corpses as the base!"

"Where's my husband then?" Kochu demanded.

"Probably freezing to death in the mountains right now," Karasu answered with a shrug, causing Kochu to gasp. "If you swear loyalty to me, I'll have my minions bring him back here and you can live. I see no point in Riri becoming an orphan."

She was actually fond of the little girl.

"We don't bargain with traitors!" Kanu spat.

" _Traitors?_ " Karasu huffed. "I'm the only one who was truly loyal to Naga-kun! It was _I_ who worried about him! It was _I_ who worked to ensure _his_ future, not you! Have you any idea what I had to give up to be with him? Of course not! You're so busy throwing yourselves at him so you can leech off his power and turn him into _your_ puppet!"

"If you care about Nagata-sama at all, you would care about his happiness, not how happy he can make you!" Bacho frowned, still sickened by what she read in Karasu's journal.

"He _is_ happy with me! He always will be!" Karasu shrieked before turning to Nagata. "Right, Naga-kun?"

Nagata nodded silently.

"You see? He agrees!"

"All we see is the mindless doll you've turned him into," Chou'un frowned. "It's funny how you accuse us of turning him into a puppet when that's what you've turned him into. But then again, a lunatic like you can only have a relationship with dolls."

Karasu scowled as her blood boiled. Any pretense of compassion instantly evaporated.

"Naga-kun, do it," Karasu prompted.

Nagata pulled back his hood, showing the Shoku Warriors his blank, expressionless face. His silver eyes were dull, no longer bright and full of life.

He reached down to his SengokuDriver and hit the Cutting Blade.

"Henshin," he spoke in a monotone as he pushed the Cutting Blade down, splitting the Darkness Lockseed open.

 **[SOIYA!]**

Dark energy wrapped around Nagata's body and materialized into his Ride Wear suit. Unlike his usual blue suit, this suit was black with a sleeveless purple trench coat. Then pieces of the Darkness Arms Armor materialized and fused with Nagata's body. Finally, the darkness enveloped Nagata's head, forming his helmet. The visor flashed purple before the glow faded and left it pitch black.

 **[DARKNESS ARMS! ANKOKU NO KAJITSU!]**

In a splash of darkness, the Dark Daidaimaru appeared in his right hand.

The Shoku Warriors gasped, stunned by this dark transformation of their lord.

"Naga-kun, please destroy them so we can build our new empire. Don't forget to eliminate anything that stands in our way," Karasu ordered.

Gaim-Darkness nodded and broke into a run as he charged at the Shoku Warriors. The Locust Kaijin hung back to guard Karasu as she watched. She smiled. This was going to become a massacre.

The battle was fierce from the onset. The Shoku Warriors had no choice but to fight their leader. Despite outnumbering him, he certainly had them outmatched. He also made sure they couldn't get close to Karasu.

He was swift and merciless, strong and agile, and none of them could match his ferocity. Their strikes didn't even seem to faze him, and he didn't hesitate to retaliate with brutal strikes of his own.

"Onii-chan, please! It's me! It's Rinrin!"

Gaim-Darkness ignored her pleas as he knocked her painfully to the ground with a kick.

An arrow came flying but Gaim-Darkness caught it. Looking up, he saw that it was Kochu. She loaded more arrows to her bow and fired, but he deflected them and charged right at her. He was intercepted by Bacho and Chou'un but he shoved them aside.

Ryofu later came in and blocked his charge.

She pushed him back and drove him back even further with her Heaven-Piercer. He retaliated with his Dark Daidaimaru, sparks blasting off as their weapons clashed violently. Ryofu drove her weapon into his chest, but he grabbed its shaft and pulled her in so he could strike her with his own blade.

Karasu watched the spectacle with barely hidden glee. Her focus was more on killing the Shoku Warriors and breaking their hold on her Naga-kun. However, there was no rule against her enjoying it.

The Locust Kaijin monsters were just there to put down resistance since Karasu knew she would need armies to build a new empire with her Naga-kun. Like Gaim-Darkness, they also made sure none of her enemies could get to her.

It was not long until Karasu grew bored of being a spectator. Not satisfied with just watching, Karasu scanned the battlefield and zeroed in on a familiar rosette. Smiling menacingly, Karasu approached her prey, calling upon her armor.

 **[TAOWU!]**

"Henshin."

 **[TAOWU ARMS!]**

Ryuubi groaned as she rose to her feet but let out a shriek as she was struck across the chest. Looking up, she saw that it was Jam, wielding her Musou Saber. She saw that Jam was wearing a new demonic suit of armor that left the rosette stunned.

"Let's start with you, Ryuubi Gentoku," Jam started.

"Idunn..." murmured Ryuubi as she clenched her sword and yelled.

Sparks flew as their weapons connected. The Dragon Claw broke through Jam's guard and him her in the chest. Jam was stunned as she was sent staggering back. Ryuubi followed up her initial strike with a series of stabs that Jam parried with her sword. One jab made it through and hit Jam in the chest. Instantly, Jam struck Ryuubi across the chest in retaliation, stunning her. Another slash knocked Ryuubi to the ground.

"Ryuubi Gentoku, a _descendant_ of Prince Jing of Zhongshan? All I see is a weak girl who can't do anything without her precious Armored War Gods," Jam sneered. Ryuubi scrambled backward in terror as Jam strode towards her. "I remember how _he_ took your sword and your name but was unable to take your life. Looks like I'll be the one to finish the job _he_ should've done a long time ago."

"LEAVE TOUKA-SAMA ALONE!" Gien screamed as she struck Jam across the back with her kanabo, knocking her away from Ryuubi. Grunting, Jam glared at Ryuubi's bodyguard.

"Enya!" Ryuubi cried out.

"Do not worry, Touka-sama! I'll handle this!"

Gien swung at Jam, in the hopes of putting her down. Sadly, Jam was agiler as she ducked and dodged, evading and pretty much avoiding all of Gien's swings. She bobbed and weaved, making sure to keep her distance until an opening presented itself.

Jam raised her sword, catching the Blunt Shattered Bone on the blade. She then pushed it away and slashed Gien across the chest. She then swung her weapon into Gien's arm, disarming her.

"Trying to be a hero? How noble. But the funny thing about heroes is..."

Jam hit her Cutting Blade.

 **[TAOWU SQUASH!]**

Jam rapidly slashed Gien across the chest over and over with her energized Musou Saber, heaping damage upon the Beast Brawler armor before it finally vanished.

"Heroes _die_ ," Jam finished as she slashed Gien across the chest, spilling her blood.

"ENYA!" Ryuubi screamed as Gien fell to the ground, a growing stain of blood on her chest.

Batai heard Ryuubi scream Gien's name and turned to see her best friend lying injured on the ground. Leaving the fight with Gaim-Darkness, Batai angrily charged at Jam to attack her from behind. Lunging toward Jam, Batai thrust her Shadow Flash at the traitor's unprotected back.

However, her attack did not meet its mark as her Locust Kaijin immediately barred Batai. They attacked her, deliberately keeping her away from Jam.

"Let me through, you stupid bugs!" Batai shouted.

Jam walked over to Ryuubi, her sword still thirsty for blood.

"Idunn..."

"Nobody is coming to save you now, Ryuubi Gentoku. Not Naga-kun, not Ryugen, and certainly not your friends. Accept your fate and just die," Jam said as she raised her sword to finish Ryuubi off.

Kanu and Chouhi saw that Ryuubi was in a tight spot and broke away from Gaim-Darkness. He tried to stop them, but the other Shoku Warriors barred him.

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"_

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"_

Jam was hit and engulfed in an explosion.

"Aneue!" Kanu shouted as she ran over to Ryuubi.

"Aisha, Enya's hurt!" Ryuubi cried.

Kanu looked at Gien. She really was hurt and slowly getting worse.

"Aisha-neechan! Touka-neechan!" Chouhi shouted in panic. "Look!"

As the cloud of smoke cleared, a swarm of insects gathered on the spot and reformed into Jam. She rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck from side-to-side.

"Congratulations, you _almost_ got me," Jam remarked. She then broke into a run and swung her Musou Saber at Kanu, but she swiftly caught her attack with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

"Karasu Oda..." Kanu growled.

"Kanu Unchou..." Jam growled back.

Their eyes locked with mutual glares before they began to furiously exchange blows.

"How could you betray us like this?" Kanu demanded.

"It was rather easy! None of you suspected a thing!" Jam shot back.

"We trusted you!"

"That was _your_ mistake, you fool!"

Jam knocked Kanu back with a brutal kick, sending her reeling.

"I am going to enjoy killing you," Jam said as her lips spread into a bloodthirsty grin. She reached down to her SengokuDriver, preparing to execute Kanu with a powerful finishing move. But then, all of a sudden, a flower-shaped Helheim portal opened up. Cherry blossom petals blasted out, distracting Jam.

"What now!?" Jam yelled in annoyance.

A Sakura Hurricane with Ryugen riding on it burst out of the portal. The bike sped by, knocking Jam down before it made a turn and came to a halt.

"Tokugawa!?" Jam exclaimed as she saw Ryugen. The last time she saw him, she left him to freeze on a mountain. He could not have possibly survived, so how was he even here?

Ryugen instantly recognized Jam's voice. He also took a moment to observe his surroundings. He spotted Gaim-Darkness fighting the other Shoku Warriors and a group of Locust Kaijin forming a perimeter.

"Iori-sama! It's Karasu! She's the traitor!" Kanu shouted, pointing at Jam.

Ryugen turned his gaze towards Jam as she got back up.

Bujin Gaim had told Ryugen about this before. At first, he brushed it off. But then he started to suspect that there was something not quite right about Karasu.

And now his suspicions were confirmed.

"So, it is you, Oda-san. There really is a traitor and it's you," Ryugen said.

"Yes, I'm the traitor. What are you going to do about it?" Jam challenged.

"What have you done to Nagata?"

"I've simply opened his eyes to the truth."

That was a lie. From the looks of it, Nagata was under some kind of mind control. The armor he wore and how he was fighting the Shoku Warriors supported that.

There was no way Nagata would ever raise his sword with lethal intent against the Shoku Warriors. Not unless he was forced to or being controlled.

Ryugen saw Ryuubi kneeling beside Gien who was lying in a pool of her own blood.

"Touka, get out of here!" Ryugen shouted to Ryuubi who was still in shock. Her frozen gaze was on Gien's injured body. "Touka! Get out of here, now! This place has no future without you!"

Ryuubi was snapped awake by Ryugen's yell. Hearing his words, she nodded and picked Gien while she retreated. Jam watched Ryuubi flee then turned to look at Ryugen.

"I'm surprised you managed to get off that mountain," Jam said with a scoff.

"I've lived here and dealt with the trials much longer than a prissy, sheltered, little heiress like you have," Ryugen taunted back. "Even a beating like that won't put me down for long. And Helheim is so handy for long-range travel."

"How convenient," snarked Jam, although she bristled at being called 'sheltered' and 'prissy'.

"So, tell me, Oda-san. Why have you decided to show your true colors now?"

"It just seems like the perfect time. Although, I could've killed all of you in your sleep anytime I wanted."

"So why didn't you?" Ryugen asked.

"It would be too impersonal. I wanted to be the one that took their lives with my own hands. I wanted to savor every moment. That's why I waited, and now there's nothing stopping me now."

Ryugen dismounted and aimed his Budou Ryuhou at Jam.

"We'll see about that."

"Ryugen-sama, do you need our assistance?" Kanu offered.

"Aisha, you and Chouhi go and help the others," Ryugen ordered. "Leave this traitor to me."

Jam smirked as Kanu and Chouhi returned to aid their comrades. As if their help would change anything. Her Naga-kun would destroy them.

"I see you've chosen to fight me alone, Tokugawa. I guess I should hold back a little so that I can savor this."

"Don't do me any favors, you traitor."

Ryugen took the Budou Lockseed out of his SengokuDriver and closed it. Concentrating, he poured his dark Ki into the trinket and changed it into a new Yomotsuheguri Lockseed.

If he defeated Jam here, then that might break whatever spell she put on Nagata.

 **[YOMOTSUHEGURI!]**

 **[LOCK ON! HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

"You're going down!" shouted Ryugen-Yomi.

Their confrontation soon erupted into a furious exchange of blows. They clashed like antagonistic partners in the middle of a dance of death in the midst of an orgy of violence.

* * *

Ryuubi took Gien straight to Kada. When the reports of a monster army came in, Kada was quick to open up a medic station to help anyone who was injured in the attack.

Gien urgently needed treatment for her injury. It was an emergency.

Ryuubi carried Gien in her arms. It looked like the girl with two-toned hair was slipping.

"Just hang on, Enya. Just hang on," Ryuubi pleaded desperately to her friend.

The injured girl didn't look too good and her injury was severe. She would only get worse without treatment.

"Kada-sensei! Kada-sensei, I need your help!" Ryuubi shouted.

Kada saw the state Gien was in. A large gash stretched across her chest, losing copious amounts of blood. She was fading fast and Kada knew he would have to work quickly in order to save her life.

"Quick, lay her down there," Kada instructed, pointing to a nearby cot. Ryuubi quickly obliged, gently putting Gien down.

"Enya, can you hear me? Kada-sensei is going to take care of you," said Ryuubi.

Gien was in too much pain to respond properly.

"Let me take care of her," Kada said to Ryuubi. "You should return to help your friends."

"Thank you. Please, save her," Ryuubi pleaded.

"I'll do all I can for her."

Reassured, Ryuubi went to rejoin the battle. Kada looked at Gien and grimaced. He did not have the heart to tell Ryuubi that Gien's chances of survival were slim. But Kada was a doctor, and he would try to save Gien's life.

He swore by the **WAY OF THE FIVE GRAINS!**

As Gien lay on the cot, she murmured, "Oneesan..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Gaim-Darkness was still in the middle of his battle with the Shoku Warriors. He was dual-wielding with the Musou Saber and Dark Daidaimaru. The two-sword style was his forte after all.

Despite being a puppet under Jam's control, his fighting skills had not dulled. He still fought fiercely against his officers.

As they fought, Kanu came to realize something. As a puppet, Gaim-Darkness was a slave to his master's will. However, it looked like Nagata may not be completely under Karasu's control.

They had seen the way he fought countless times before, and how he crushed his enemies with his incredible might and skill.

The way he fought the Shoku Warriors right now lacked any of that significant force. It was like the way he fought during their sparring matches. When they sparred, even in his armor, he was always careful not to perform any lethal moves.

And not once did Gaim-Darkness use any of his finishers on them when he had the chance.

"I think Nagata-sama's holding back," theorized Kanu, getting some distance to speak with her sisters-in-arms.

"How do you figure that?" Chou'un asked.

"We all know how strong Nagata-sama is in his armor. He could've killed us in an instant if he wanted to, but he hasn't even tried to use his most powerful attacks. I think he's trying to resist whatever control Karasu has over him," Kanu explained.

"So how do we snap him out of it?" Bacho asked.

"Hopefully, Ryugen-sama can defeat Jam. That should do it. If not, we may need to somehow break the spell ourselves."

"So, the plan is to stay alive and hope for a miracle," Chou'un summarized. "We seem to be good at getting those, so why not?"

"We just need to remind him," Kanu said as she stared down at Gaim-Darkness. She prayed that her plan worked.

During the fight between Jam and Ryugen-Yomi, the Demon Dragon of the Underworld slashed her with his Kiwi Gekirin, but she parried with her sword as sparks blasted off around them.

"What's the matter, Tokugawa? Why are you holding back? This can't be all you've got!" Jam taunted.

Ryugen-Yomi gritted his teeth as she taunted him. It was not like he was weak. It was that she was now stronger than him. She had put him at a disadvantage, but he was not going to let her realize that. At least, he could buy the Shoku Warriors some time to break his best friend free from her control.

He also prayed that the girls could save Nagata. Once they got Nagata back on their side, they could take Jam down together.

It was a gamble, and chances seemed slim, so all they could do was hope for the best but prepared for the worst.

That was all they could do now as they fought.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Ryugen-Yomi spun in place and hurled the Kiwi Gekirin. Jam quickly defended herself as she deflected the Kiwi Gekirin. They bounced off her sword and returned again, only to bounce off repeatedly. Jam flung the Kiwi Gekirin back to Ryugen-Yomi, knocking him back.

"I think I'll regret killing you. The last thing I want is for Riri to lose a good father," Jam told Ryugen-Yomi honestly. It was truly unfortunate that things turned out this way.

An arrow hit her in the chest and exploded, knocking her back. Ryugen-Yomi blinked and saw Kochu in the distance with her bow leveled at Jam.

"Thank you, Koi!" Ryugen-Yomi said gratefully to his wife as he got up to engage Jam again.

At the same time, Gaim-Darkness continued to block and parry every blow aimed at him. No matter what they threw at him, none of their strikes would land.

"He's unbeatable!" Bacho cried out in frustration.

"No, he isn't," Kanu argued. "He's holding back, but that does not mean we have to."

"What are you saying, Aisha?" Chou'un asked.

"Girls, I think if we want to save Nagata-sama right now, we'll need to get him out of that armor," Kanu said. "If it takes too much damage..."

"He'll be defenseless," Chou'un finished, smiling. Experience taught them that the Armored War Gods' armor was not completely invincible. It had limits. Once it took too many hits or one powerful blow, the armor would vanish.

An armored Nagata was powerful. Though, without his armor, he was just as vulnerable as a mortal man.

Kanu looked to her sisters-in-arms and they all nodded as they agreed to the plan. Chouhi seemed reluctant, as she did not want to hurt her big brother, but she did not want him to remain Jam's slave either.

"Let's do this!" Chouhi announced.

"On my mark," Kanu prepared as a green aura flared from her body. "NOW!" She broke into a run, her Green Dragon Crescent Blade shining with green energy.

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!_ "

The Green Dragon Crescent Blade ignited with green flames as Kanu struck. Gaim-Darkness quickly raised his swords to block, but she broke through and struck him violently with her guandao, sending him staggering back.

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!_ "

Chouhi leaped over Kanu and struck Gaim across the chest, sending him reeling back. The electrical charge of the slash caused him to convulse.

"Tanpopo! Sui!" Kanu prompted.

" _DOUBLE FLASH!_ "

Bacho and Batai ran past Chouhi and Kanu to land their attacks. The Silver Flash and Shadow Flash spears glowed with power as the cousins thrust their weapons at Gaim-Darkness. Multiple lightning fast jabs hit the Armored War God.

They came too fast for him to block and he was hit all over.

When they stopped, Gaim-Darkness fell to his knees. His armor had taken damage, but it still wasn't enough.

Rising to his feet, Gaim-Darkness sent Bacho and Batai skidding back with twin swipes. As he approached them, he was hit by an explosive arrow shot.

He turned his head to look at Kochu who was charging up an arrow on her Hurricane Peng.

" _FALCON ARROW!_ "

Kochu released the arrow which turned into a bird of flame. It struck Gaim-Darkness with explosive force, sending him tumbling. He lay still for a few moments before flipping back to his feet.

Just a little more.

"Sei!" Kanu called and Chou'un dove down with her butterfly wings.

" _AZURE DANCE!_ "

Chou'un struck Gaim-Darkness with her Dragon Fang bident. He tried to block it, but she broke through his guard to land several successful strikes before she landed a kick to his face, knocking him down.

And now it was Ryofu's turn. A purple glow surrounded her Heaven-Piercer as she twirled it around.

" _HEAVEN'S WRATH!_ "

Ryofu struck the ground and summoned a tornado that sucked up Gaim-Darkness. She then jumped into the tornado and allowed the violent winds to carry her. Gaim-Darkness was powerless in the tornado.

"Forgive me," she whispered before she hammered him with her Heaven-Piercer. Sparks blasted off his chest violently like water from a geyser.

The tornado died and Gaim-Darkness crashed to the ground as Ryofu landed on her feet.

Kanu looked at Gaim-Darkness as he lay still on the ground. She hoped their plan worked. When his armor turned into darkness and evacuated his body, she felt relieved.

But her relief only lasted for a second.

The Darkness Lockseed flashed, calling the darkness back to engulf Nagata.

 **[SOIYA! DARKNESS ARMS! ANKOKU NO KAJITSU!]**

The darkness swarmed Nagata, reforming the dark armor Karasu had forced him into. He quickly rose to his feet, much to their shock.

"It didn't work!" Bacho cried out.

Gaim-Darkness joined his Musou Saber and Dark Daidaimaru together to form the Dark Musou Naginata. As he twirled the combined weapon around, he hit the Cutting Blade of his SengokuDriver.

 **[SOIYA! DARKNESS SQUASH!]**

The blades glowed and he swung, sending a powerful energy slash that struck the Shoku Warriors, knocking them to the ground.

The Shoku Warriors quickly regrouped as Gaim-Darkness approached them threateningly.

"He's taken everything we've got!" Bacho shouted. "Now what?"

"No, not everything," Kanu watched as Gaim-Darkness advanced on them.

Gaim-Darkness was suddenly hit in the back and sparks ripped off on impact. He stopped and turned to see Ryuubi holding her Dragon Claw Sword.

"Nagata-sama..." Ryuubi uttered as she clenched her sword. "Please, stop. We're your friends. Your family."

Gaim-Darkness' answer was to swing at her. Ryuubi raised her sword to block and was sent skidding back. He advanced on her, swinging his Dark Musou Naginata. Remembering her lessons, Ryuubi blocked each of the strikes. When she saw an opening, she retaliated, landing a slash across his chest. Gaim-Darkness stood his ground and swung at her.

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!_ "

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!_ "

Both Kanu and Chouhi's attacks landed, engulfing Gaim-Darkness in an explosion.

"Aneue!" Kanu called and Ryuubi immediately ran to Kanu's side.

"What's the plan?" Ryuubi asked, still feeling the rush of adrenaline.

"We're trying to get Nagata-sama out of that armor," Kanu said. "It's the only way we can get a chance to save him."

"We tried that before, but the armor came back," Chou'un added.

"Then we just need to try harder! We can't give up!"

Jam, overhearing this, scoffed, "Seriously? Their plan is to 'try harder'? Do they even know the definition of 'insanity'?"

" _You're_ the definition of 'insanity'!" Ryugen-Yomi snapped, only to be punched in the face.

"That was _rhetorical_. Please, don't interrupt. Anyway, the definition of 'insanity' is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result."

Ryuubi watched as the others surrounded Gaim-Darkness and attacked him. It broke her heart to see them all fighting like this. Just a day ago, they were all sharing a meal together. Now, not only was Karasu their enemy, but Nagata had fallen under her control. They had no choice but to fight him.

She did not want this to continue.

"Rinrin! Aisha!" Ryuubi raised her glowing sword. Chouhi and Kanu quickly crossed their blades with Ryuubi. Their weapons charged up. "TRINITY ATTACK!"

Their bodies glowed in their respective armor colors. They then swung their weapons, throwing the attack at Darkness-Gaim. The combined red, blue and green blasts took the shape of a dragon and smashed into Gaim-Darkness. An explosion followed.

When the smoke cleared, Gaim-Darkness staggered on his feet. Ryofu got behind Gaim-Darkness, putting him in a headlock. He tried to break free, with Ryofu struggling to keep him in place. Chouhi assisted her, wrapping her arms around Gaim-Darkness' waist.

Chouhi grabbed the Darkness Lockseed, hoping that by removing it that they would be able to free Nagata. Unfortunately, it was not coming off. The button to release it was not working. Obviously, it was Karasu's doing. Only she would be able to remove the Darkness Lockseed.

"Nagata-sama, please stop," pleaded Ryofu.

"Nagata-niichan! Listen! It's us! Please, don't fight us!" begged Chouhi.

Chouhi was one of the strongest warriors despite her young age and Ryofu was known as the only warrior that could match an Armored War God in battle. However, even with their combined strength, they still found it difficult to hold Gaim-Darkness in place. He was trying to break free from their grip, ignoring their pleas.

"Nagata-sama!" Ryofu cried.

"Onii-chan, please remember us!" Chouhi pleaded.

"Come on, they need help!" Kanu ordered as she went and embraced Gaim-Darkness. Bacho and Batai each took a leg while Ryuubi held onto his right arm as Chou'un held onto the left arm. He struggled further, trying to throw them off.

"Nagata-sama, please wake up!"

"Please, hear our voices! Come back to us!"

"We're comrades!"

"We're your friends! Your family!"

"Nagata-sama!"

"Nagata-sama!"

"Nagata-sama!"

"Onii-chan!"

Gaim-Darkness ignored their pleas and roared as he threw them off him, one by one, sending them sprawling to the ground.

Kanu got back to her feet to face him.

She remembered the day they met, how they became traveling companions and bonded as comrades.

She remembered how she developed feelings for him, feelings which were reciprocated.

She remembered how he tried so hard, even when things became difficult and challenging.

She remembered when he was on the verge of breaking down, but rose back up again because of his sense of justice, honor, and duty.

She was not giving up on him.

"Nagata-sama, we're not giving up on you! But if this...if this is truly what you want..." Kanu dropped her weapon and spread her arms as she willed her armor away. "Then kill _me_."

The others were shocked by this.

"Aisha, what are you doing!?" Ryuubi yelled.

Kanu ignored her sworn sister and said to Gaim-Darkness, "I'm not going to fight you, Nagata-sama. Not anymore. So you might as well just kill me. I can't live in a world where we're enemies."

Jam watched with a grin. Finally, one of those girls would get what she deserved. Best of all, it would be Kanu Unchou who would lose her life first. Karasu blamed her for seducing her Naga-kun away from her. If it was not for her, he would not be in this mess in the first place.

"Yes, Naga-kun! Do it!" Jam encouraged.

And soon the others would follow her example and perish.

They would all die today.

"Aisha, what are you doing!?" Ryugen-Yomi yelled. "He'll kill you!"

Despite all the warnings and knowing how risky it was, Kanu stood her ground and braced herself. She put her faith to her beloved one regardless of what he would do to her.

Gaim-Darkness raised his Musou Naginata. She was completely defenseless as she surrendered herself, so it would be easy to kill her. He stood only a few inches away from her, ready to take her life.

But suddenly, Kanu threw her arms around Gaim-Darkness.

"Nagata-sama, I believe in you."

Gaim-Darkness suddenly froze.

Jam was shocked by this, and then her shock turned to anger.

"What are you doing, Naga-kun!? Kill her now!"

Kanu looked into his darkened visor, knowing that her beloved was still in there, still fighting for control. She had absolute faith that no matter what was done to him, whoever tried to enslave him, he was still there to fight and protect his loved ones.

"Nagata-sama, please come back to me. I love you."

Gaim-Darkness shook and trembled. He let his weapon slip from his hand so he could return the embrace.

"Nagata-sama..."

"Aisha..."

He pulled away from Kanu. He jerked forward and back like a puppet being pulled in two different directions.

His visor flashed, shifting between black and silver.

"Obey...Kara-chan..."

His visor turned silver.

"No, I can't...it's Aisha..."

His visor turned black.

"Kara-chan...Must obey..."

Silver.

"I can't hurt her. Can't hurt any of them..."

Silver.

Black.

Silver.

Black.

His visor continued to flicker between the two colors as he went back and forth with himself.

To kill or not to kill?

To obey or disobey?

These thoughts opposed each other painfully in his mind.

His mind was deadlocked between Karasu and the Shoku Warriors.

Suddenly, his memories flash before his eyes.

 ***FLASH!***

 _Nagata looked up and saw the girl looking at him and blushed._

 _'Wow...'_

 _He couldn't help but admire her. She was gorgeous! She had a great figure, smooth skin without blemishes, and long black hair that looked smooth and silky._

 _The girl looked almost shy or timid as she managed to get her senses back. Holding her weapon in a manner that showed she wasn't going to threaten him, she approached him. She opened her mouth several times but instead kneeled in front of Nagata in order to look him in the eye._

 _Finally, she got the nerve to speak._

 _"Are...are you the Messenger of Heaven?" she asked, almost quiet as if she feared that another was listening from someplace hidden._

 _"Huh? Messenger of Heaven? Ah...no. I don't think so. Sorry."_

 _"What? But, your armor, your strange devices! No one else can do that! You must be the Messenger!" Kanu insisted._

 _"News to me," Nagata sighed. "If I'm a Messenger then no one told me the message. I just ended up here trying to stop a thief! I don't know what's going on or where I am!"_

 _"W-well, you are in the Kei Province," the girl answered._

 _"Kei Province?" Nagata blinked. "That sounds like a Chinese province…"_

 _"Well, we are in China so of course it would," the girl nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world._

 _Nagata blinked…_

 _And blinked…_

 _And blinked._

 _"EHHHHHHHH?!" he cried out. "I'M IN CHINA?!"_

 _"Ah! Um, y-yes!" The girl nodded, shocked at the outburst. "Um...is something the matter, Goshujin-sama?"_

 _"I got transported thousands of miles into China!" Nagata cried. "And I don't even know how!"_

 _"Is it not obvious?" asked the girl. "The gods must have sent you here as their messenger! The one who will end these turbulent times!"_

 _"Huh?" Nagata blinked. "Turbulent times? Like with what, the government or something?"_

 _"Which government do you speak? There are many in these times," the girl sighed. "With the Gi and the Go factions conquering lands by the day, and other minor factions and provinces scrambling to amass what power and territory they can, it is not the safest of times."_

 _Nagata blinked._

 _"Gi and Go? You mean the kingdoms led by Sousou Motoku and Sonsaku Hakufu? Two of the three great kings of the Three Kingdoms era?"_

 _"Well, that is them," Kanu nodded, "But I would not call this era one of Three Kingdoms since there are only two."_

 _"Uh…" Nagata frowned, now thinking he may have just hit his head and everything he witnessed this far was just a dream. "Excuse me for not asking sooner, but just who exactly are you?"_

 _"Oh! Forgive my rudeness!" The girl bowed deeply. "I am Kanu, followed by Unchou. A mere humble woman doing what she can to protect people from the viciousness of the bandits."_

 _"Oh, nice to meet you, Kanu...Unchou..." His eyes widened. "Wait, did you say your name was 'Kanu Unchou'? The Kanu Unchou?"_

 ***FLASH!***

 _Kanu was forcefully relieved of her weapon when a Rinshi kicked away her Green Dragon Crescent Blade and prepared to impale her with its spear. However, the Rinshi recoiled from a shot fired by Gaim who then tossed her his Daidaimaru. She caught the weapon and slashed at the Rinshi coming at her, decapitating them before their bodies dissolved into dust._

 _At the same time, Gaim dove towards her fallen Green Dragon Crescent Blade and picked it up. He swung it, decapitating the Rinshi with the blade. Seeing that Kanu may need an extra hand, or in this case a blade, he decided to lend her his side weapon._

 _"Aisha, heads up!" shouted Gaim as he tossed her his Musou Saber. As she spun and slashed the Rinshi, she caught the Musou Saber. Seeing Gaim do it many times before, she connected both weapons to form their combined Naginata Mode. Smiling, she slashed with both blades as Gaim nodded before using her Green Dragon Crescent Blade to put down the enemy foot soldiers._

 _"Now switch!" Gaim ordered and Kanu tossed the naginata back to Gaim who tossed back her weapon. They caught their weapons and ended up standing back-to-back, facing the enemy. They both glared at the enemy before the two attacked the Rinshi furiously, landing lethal blows with each strike which sent the undead warriors back to where they belonged._

 ***FLASH!***

 _Back at Touka Village as the celebration continued, Kanu and Nagata were alone together. With their friends gabbing together and the children distracted with play, they stole off to have a relaxing stroll through the woods, surrounded by the soft pink petals and gentle sunlight. Both were silent, unsure of really what to say at first._

 _A lot had happened during the last few days and some emotional extremes were touched. After several moments of insecurity, Kanu decided to say what she felt needed to be said for some time._

 _"When Ryuubi told me that you had returned to Heaven, I was heartbroken. There was so much I wanted to tell you, Gaim-sama," Kanu said with a blush on her face._

 _"Aisha, I could never leave you. Not without saying goodbye at least," he told her honestly. When Ryuubi said he would tell Kanu that Nagata had abandoned her, it made his heart clench. He didn't want to make Kanu ever think he would just abandon her like that._

 _"I know that. That is why I knew he was lying. You would never be so uncaring as to leave without a word," she agreed. "I know one day you may need to return to your home. Is it selfish of me to ask you to always stay...with me?"_

 _"Aisha..."_

 _"I...I..." Kanu wasn't sure what to say in this situation as she had never been put in one like this. She had thought she had cast away her identity as a woman for the sake of defeating bandits, but ever since meeting Nagata, she found it returning with a vengeance. However, she decided to be direct and show him what she wanted to say. With that thought in mind, the Beautiful Black-Haired Bandit Hunter leaned up to the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword and kissed him on the lips. It was a sweet and tender kiss, one that both sides got into despite their mutual lack of experience. As it ended, Kanu found her arms wrapped behind Nagata's neck and Nagata's own wrapped around her waist. Among the cherry blossoms, the two found each other almost hypnotic._

 _"Aisha."_

 _"Yes...?"_

 _"Call me by my real name."_

 _"Yes...Nagata-sama."_

 _The two leaned in and shared another kiss..._

 ***FLASH!***

" _I love you."_

" _I love you too, Nagata-sama..."_

 ***FLASH!***

Memory after memory flashed in Gaim-Darkness' mind and stirred around. It was becoming too much for him as he gripped his head and fell to his knees as he screamed in agony.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Nagata-sama!"

"Onii-chan!"

"Naga-kun!"

 **To Be Continued in Part 2…**

* * *

 **KRC:** OK, so by the time I finished this 1/2 chapter, I realize I was rehashing the end of the **"Return of Bujin Gaim"** arc. I mean, I used the "I know you are in there" and "Power of Love" trope there too. I was almost considering killing Kanu off to shock Nagata awake.

Thankfully, I decided against it. But the way Kanu reached Nagata is based on a scene from **"Power Rangers Zeo"**. I know it has been years, but it is the one where Tommy is brainwashed but Kat reached out to him and brought him back to his senses.

( **BL92:** From "King for a Day")

I included flashbacks from previous seasons. Seems good for this sort of thing.

As usual, please read and review.


	30. Judas Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ANTHONY DIAZ/KAMEN RIDER BUSHIDO**

* * *

Gaim-Darkness clutched his head and screamed in agony.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Naga-kun!"

Jam witnessed as her beloved Naga-kun was suffering. Those girls must be trying to cast their spell on him.

This was just too much. She could not bear to watch him suffer, and she was not going to let them have him as well.

Jam sprinted toward Gaim-Darkness.

"No, you don't!" Ryugen-Yomi stood in her way, but she did not allow him to hinder her. Her body quickly dissolved into a swarm of insects which flew past him, much to his shock. The cloud of insects flew unimpeded toward Gaim-Darkness and swarmed around him.

Kanu was startled by this and the Shoku Warriors watched in horror as the insect swarm seemed to enter Gaim-Darkness' body. Black vines grew from the center of his chest, wrapping around his limbs. As the swarm vanished, Gaim-Darkness' visor turned blood red.

"Nagata-sama...?" Kanu questioned.

All of a sudden, Gaim-Darkness turned his head toward Kanu and swung at her. Her reflexes kicked in and she quickly jumped back to avoid the strike. The blade managed to cut through her clothes and leave a shallow cut across her chest.

Gaim-Darkness spoke in a menacing, feminine voice, " **He's** ** _mine_** **! You can't have him!** "

Karasu Oda had just taken possession of Gaim-Darkness.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 19-2: Judas (Part 2)**

* * *

Kanu hissed in pain. That was close. Fortunately, the wound she received was a shallow one.

"Aisha!" Ryuubi yelled.

"Aisha-neechan!" Chouhi cried.

"It's alright! It's just a flesh wound!" She looked to Gaim-Darkness and grimaced. She almost succeeded in breaking Nagata free from Karasu's control.

" **You nearly dropped your guard. That was careless of you, Kanu Unchou** ," Gaim-Darkness said as Jam's Black Mask formed over his helmet.

"Karasu Oda..." Kanu growled.

" **Did you really think it would be** ** _that_** **easy? Did you think I did not have a backup plan?** " Gaim-Darkness asked mockingly.

"Release him, Karasu!" Kanu demanded.

" **No!** **He's** ** _mine!_** " Gaim-Darkness snapped. " **And this time, I'm going to make sure none of you can ever take him away from me again!** "

Several gunshots rang out and Gaim-Darkness was hit in the back. He turned to see Ryugen-Yomi pointing the Budou Ryuhou at him, with the barrel smoking.

"I am not dealing with _another_ fucking possession!" Ryugen-Yomi snapped.

Gaim-Darkness casually pointed at Ryugen-Yomi and sent a swarm flying at him. Ryugen-Yomi swatted at the bugs but they landed on his armor. Gaim-Darkness snapped his fingers and the insects exploded. Ryugen-Yomi screamed as he was engulfed by a series of simultaneous explosions.

"Airen!" Kochu cried as Ryugen-Yomi collapsed and his armor vanished in a flash at the same time.

" **Now, it's your turn** ," Gaim-Darkness spoke menacingly as he faced the Shoku Warriors.

Kanu touched her magatama and summoned her armor. Kanu resolved to save Nagata as she tightened her grip on the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. She was not giving up on Nagata. She must save him no matter the cost.

" **Come at me** ," Gaim-Darkness dared.

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"_

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"_

" _DRAGON STAR FLASH!"_

" _FALCON ARROW!"_

" _DOUBLE FLASH!"_

" _AZURE DANCE!"_

" _HEAVEN'S WRATH!"_

The Shoku Warriors put everything they got in their attacks and fired them at the same time. The simultaneous attacks created a massive explosion when they hit Gaim-Darkness.

 **[SOIYA! DARKNESS AU LAIT!]**

A glowing black swarm flew out of the dying explosion and violently attacked the Shoku Warriors. It soared around, hitting them repeatedly with incredible force. The swarm knocked them down and banished their armor.

Gaim-Darkness then reformed and landed on his feet. He looked at the Shoku Warriors who were injured by his attack before he zeroed in on Kanu. She was the one Karasu wanted to kill first.

Gaim-Darkness grabbed Kanu by her side ponytail and pulled her up to her feet so their eyes could meet.

" **Now, Kanu Unchou. Do you have anything to say before I end your miserable existence?** " Gaim-Darkness dared.

Kanu spat in Gaim-Darkness' face. Gaim-Darkness wiped it away with the back of his hand. Kanu could only glare at him as she no longer had the strength to fight back.

" **Goodbye then, Kanu Unchou** ," Gaim-Darkness said and he drove the Musou Saber through Kanu's stomach.

Kanu let out a gasp of pain.

"AISHA!" Ryuubi screamed as Gaim-Darkness stabbed Kanu. The corrupted Armored War God dropped Kanu's body and admired the blood coating the Musou Saber's blade.

" **Now, who's next?** " Gaim-Darkness asked as she looked at the Shoku Warriors. It was time to choose the next victim.

" _NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ "

Suddenly, a deafening scream filled Gaim-Darkness' head, causing him to recoil in shock.

" **What!? Naga-kun!?** "

" _AISHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_ "

Karasu felt her control slipping before breaking as she was being forced out of Gaim-Darkness. The vines died and the swarm that had taken over his body was violently expelled. The Darkness Lockseed in his SengokuDriver also shattered to pieces.

As Karasu reformed nearby, Nagata dropped to his knees. He was able to return to his senses after struggling to regain control of his body.

But he was too late.

He looked down at Kanu to see that she was severely injured.

"Aisha!"

Nagata gently cradled Kanu's body.

"You...you came back...I knew you would..." Kanu spoke weakly as their eyes met.

He saw the wound in the stomach and the growing stain of blood. He screwed his eyes shut as tears fell from them. He did this. This was done by his own hands. He had killed the woman he loved.

The guilt was overwhelming.

"I'm so sorry, Aisha. Please, don't die. You're going to be alright. I'm not letting you die," Nagata swore.

Kanu smiled and raised one hand up to stroke his cheek. She left bloodstains across his cheek, but he did not mind.

Ryuubi and Chouhi rushed over and knelt down beside him.

"Aisha..."

"Touka, take care of Nagata-sama for me. You too, Rinrin..."

"Aisha-neechan...you can't...please don't..."

"I love you all. I love you, Nagata-sama..." she said before her arm dropped beside her and her head lolled to the side.

"Aisha...?" Nagata shook his head in denial and hugged her body. "Aisha...no..."

"Aisha!"

"Aisha-neechan! Wake up!"

Karasu saw this and her smile widened. She felt elated as she cackled maniacally at her victory.

"She's dead! Hahahahahahaha! She's dead! She's dead! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The other Shoku Warriors watched in grief as Nagata cradled Kanu's body.

"Please...if anyone is listening...please bring her back. I'll do _anything_. Just please bring her back for me..." Nagata begged.

He was praying for a miracle.

* * *

Fortunately for Nagata, someone was listening.

" _I'll do anything_..."

The Seal of Heaven glowed.

Was it responding to Nagata?

If it was then what price would he have to pay after this?

"A life for a life..."

* * *

As Nagata continued to grieve and weep over Kanu's death, his body began to glow. The Ryujin Key came out of his chest. It hovered over both Nagata and Kanu as the light spread over their bodies.

Nagata did not notice the phenomenon, but Ryuubi and Chouhi gawked at the light. The others were stunned as well.

The wounds on Kanu's body vanished before the Ryujin Key returned to Nagata.

She stirred in her arms. The girl then opened her eyes as she felt Nagata's tears drip on her face.

"Nagata-sama...?"

He heard her voice, but that was not possible, right? It could just be a hallucination brought on by his grief.

"Nagata-sama..."

Nagata gasped and gaped at Kanu, astounded by this miracle.

"You're...alive!"

His tears of grief soon turned into tears of joy as he embraced her tightly.

The Shoku Warriors were shocked too.

"She's alive!" Ryuubi yelled.

"It's a miracle!" Chouhi cheered.

Kanu smiled at Nagata, relieved to see his shining silver eyes.

"You came back, Nagata-sama."

He remembered what he had done and felt guilty.

"Aisha, I'm so sorry."

Karasu was shocked. This couldn't be happening. How was this possible!? HOW!?

"This...this is impossible!" Karasu screamed. "YOU SHOULD BE DEAD! DEAD!"

Karasu seethed. Nothing was making sense!

How was Kanu Unchou still alive!?

How could Nagata love those whores more than her?!

She was the one who took care of him so many times!

She was the one who worked to become his perfect lover!

She was the one who was pushing him to become a supreme ruler!

How could he not see that everything she had done was out of her love for him?!

How could the shallow lust of these whores overpower her pure love!?

Nagata gazed at Karasu.

"Why Kara-chan? Why are you doing this?"

"Because you don't belong in this world!" she answered fiercely.

"I decided to stay here," he insisted.

"No, that's just the brainwashing talking! These girls have been manipulating you ever since you arrived in this world! They call you the 'Messenger of Heaven' because they need a figurehead to pursue _their_ ambition!" Karasu countered.

"No, you're wrong! I decided to come back here! I decided to fight for the people here!" he denied.

"You wouldn't have to if you hadn't met any of those girls! Open your eyes, Naga-kun! They're just using you! And you can't even see it! But I don't blame you. You're still just a boy controlled by your hormones. Those girls give you the attention you crave, so you'll do what _they_ want."

Nagata could hardly believe what he was hearing. Sure, he wasn't a stranger to hormonal urges, it was only natural for a boy his age, but he had never, at any point, saw the girls as anything but human beings. He came to know them as much as they got to know him.

They were his friends and allies.

But most importantly, they were his family.

"This is crazy, Kara-chan! Are you even listening to yourself!?" Nagata tried to reason with her.

 **[TAOWU!]**

"It seems that I have no choice but to take care of this myself," Karasu decided with a resigned sigh as she locked in the Taowu Lockseed.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

"Once those girls are gone, you'll be able to think much more clearly."

Her hand struck the Cutting Blade, and it sliced open her Taowu Lockseed.

 **[TAOWU ARMS!]**

The dark portal rained dark energy down on Karasu, changing her back into Jam. The demonic armor adorned her body as her visor flashed.

Despite being so angry with Karasu, Nagata couldn't bring himself to hate her. She believed her actions were just and that she needed to save him.

He understood. This era was dangerous. He was fighting against monsters that would kill him one day and she didn't want to see him die.

"Everyone, leave this to me," Nagata ordered.

She was his cousin, so she was his responsibility. He had to stand up to her.

This was his fight now.

"Nagata! Catch!"

Iori tossed Nagata the Kachidoki Lockseed.

"Thank you, Iori!"

 **[KACHIDOKI!]**

"Kara-chan...I won't let you hurt my friends! Henshin!"

Nagata swiftly loaded the Kachidoki Lockseed into his SengokuDriver.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

The Ryujin Key was next as he slotted it into his Kachidoki Lockseed and twisted it.

 **[LOCK OPEN! RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

The Dragon Aura Beast changed into the Ryujin Raiment and draped over Nagata as his armor materialized on his body. Ready for battle, Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[KACHIDOKI BATA!]**

Jam brought out her Musou Saber and Dark Daidaimaru in response.

Ryujin Gaim quickly crossed the gap and swung at Jam with his Kachidoki Bata. She blocked with her two swords but he kicked her in the stomach before he struck her in the chest with the flagpoles. He then landed a reverse roundhouse kick to her chest, knocking her to the ground.

As Jam picked herself up, she shook her head.

She couldn't understand it.

"Naga-kun, why are you fighting me?" Jam begged. "Everything I did! I did it all for you!"

"Kara-chan, I'm giving you this one chance to surrender. Stand down, _please_ ," Ryujin Gaim pleaded. He did not want to fight her.

"I'm sorry, Naga-kun. But you've given me no choice."

Ryujin Gaim clenched his weapons in determination.

"And you've given me no choice but to defeat you."

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN AU LAIT!]**

The Kachidoki Bata flared up with blazing orange energy. Ryujin Gaim started to twirl and wave them around as he performed a captivating dance. A flaming circle expanded from under his feet, stretching outwards to include Jam inside.

Jam, along with the Shoku Warriors, was initially confused. But then a dome of fire rose up around the Odas.

Ryujin Gaim made his move. He soared towards Jam and struck her with the Kachidoki Bata. Twirling them around, he beat her repeatedly with the flagpoles. Finally, he hit her right in the midsection, knocking her into the wall of fire.

Jam rolled out of the dome, her armor charred and smoking.

The dome of fire fell as Ryujin Gaim dropped the Kachidoki Bata and looked at Jam.

"It's over, Kara-chan. Surrender, now."

Jam let out a low, bitter chuckle of madness.

"No...It's not over...IT'S NOT OVER TIL I SAY IT IS!"

Jam raised her hand and a dark swirling portal appeared in the air high above her. It began to suck up her Locust Kaijin and pull them right into the vortex. The Locust Kaijin let out cries of surprise as they were being swallowed by the dark portal.

As the dark portal consumed the Locust Kaijin, dark energy began to radiate from Jam's body.

Ryujin Gaim put 2-and-2 together and realized what Jam was trying to do.

"Kara-chan, no! Stop!" Ryujin Gaim protested as he tried to reach her, but the dark energy coming off Jam pushed him back.

"YOU'RE MINE, NAGA-KUN! FOREVER!"

The dark portal showered Jam with an immense blast of demonic energy. Jam screamed as the dark power forced its way into her, changing her. A pulse of dark energy spread out, hitting everything in its path. As the dust and smoke cleared, Jam was revealed with a powerful dark aura radiating off her body.

Her appearance had also changed.

A set of six giant crow-like wings that matched her armor spread out behind her. Her helmet also gained accessories in the form of bat-like ears, similar to the fins that framed her faceplate as Idunn.

She looked like some kind of six-winged fallen angel: a dark seraph.

This was **Jam Taowu Arms Empowered Mode**.

"Kara-chan...What have you become?" Ryujin Gaim whispered in horror. He could sense her aura, and how cold and wrong it was.

Jam's lunged towards Ryujin Gaim. He stood his ground as he waited for her to come in range. But Jam suddenly vanished from sight, leaving behind black feathers.

She was not gone. She was just moving too fast for anyone else to track her.

Fortunately, Ryujin Gaim could see her.

He was also fast enough to go after her.

In a flash Ryujin Gaim raced after Jam, trailing blue lightning as he pursued her.

Jam shed her feathers as she zoomed towards Ryujin Gaim as he trailed lightning behind him. All around them, time seemed to slow down until it froze. In actuality, this was a side-effect of them moving so superhumanly fast.

They were moving faster than time itself.

They clashed violently. Sparks exploded as they fought while zooming and zipping around the battlefield. Explosions erupted as they clashed with each other.

Jam seemed elated, excited even, as she fought her beloved cousin.

The joy she felt was almost orgasmic!

"THAT'S IT, NAGA-KUN! DON'T HOLD BACK! SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN REALLY DO! GO FASTER! FASTER! FASTER!"

Ryujin Gaim gritted his teeth and nailed Jam in the gut with a powerful kick. She went tumbling and came to a stop. Ryujin Gaim also came to a stop, the lightning around him dying.

Their captive audience was just stunned.

"What just happened?" Bacho asked.

"Don't ask me. I only saw blurs and lightning," Batai answered.

Jam looked to see the Shoku Warriors just watching. They had nothing to do.

Well, she had a way to fix _that_.

"Your _whores_ seem to be bored," Jam quipped as she saw the Shoku Warriors were doing nothing.

"Do not call them that!" Ryujin Gaim snapped defensively.

"How about I give them something to do then?"

Jam opened up two portals above her. She snapped her fingers and two humanoid figures dropped down to stand on either side of her.

The figure on her left was a crow-like being with sharp talons for hands and a pair of wings.

This was the Crow Inves.

The figure on her right had sharp pincer-like claws, a black and red exoskeleton, and a prehensile tail with a stinger on the tip.

This was the Scorpion Inves.

Jam produced a pair of A-Class Lockseeds and dropped them. The Inves quickly pounced on the Lockseeds and devoured them.

"Eat up, you two," Jam said cheerfully.

Once they finished eating, the two Inves grew and transformed into gigantic beast-like forms.

For Inves, their favorite food was the fruit that grew in Helheim. The Lockseeds were made from the fruit, and they were much better. In fact, they were so much better that they made the Inves much more powerful.

The Crow Inves became a gigantic avian beast. Including the talons on its feet, it also gained an additional set of talons in its wings. Its feathers gleamed, almost like they were made of metal. They were like a layer of metal blades overlapping each other.

The Scorpion Inves became a gigantic scorpion with an organic steel-like exoskeleton. Spikes covered its back and its tail glowed. Its eyes glowed red as its blade-like mandibles clicked together.

Whenever Berserker State Inves ate Lockseed, they would grow into monstrous versions of themselves. These Inves were now in their Evolved State.

The Evolved Crow Inves let out a shriek as it spread its wings. It took off into the air while the Evolved Scorpion Inves screeched and spread its claws. The Shoku Warriors gasped in surprise.

"Have fun," Jam told the Shoku Warriors with wicked glee. She then turned to Ryujin Gaim. "As for you, Naga-kun. It's time we went someplace more _private_."

A portal opened behind Ryujin Gaim and Jam rammed straight into him, causing them to fall into the portal before it closed.

"Where'd they go?" Chouhi asked.

"I don't know!" Iori answered grimly before turning his attention to the two Evolved Inves. "But we have no time to worry about that!"

The Shoku Warriors armored up again as Iori transformed.

* * *

In Sousou's palace, Kakuka was in her underwear as she sang in front of her mirror. All of a sudden, a portal opened up behind her on the wall to her left.

Ryujin Gaim and Jam burst out of the portal and flew across her room, entering a portal in the opposite wall.

Kakuka only caught a glimpse of them in her mirror and gasped as she spun around. She then blinked few times in static awe.

"What the hell was that?"

Her door was thrown open, causing her to gasp. Sousou stepped into her room with a chained collar and whip.

"On your knees," Sousou ordered.

Immediately forgetting what she had witnessed, Kakuka immediately obeyed.

"Yes, Sousou-sama!"

Her nose bled in anticipation.

* * *

In Sonken's palace, Masataka was sitting at the mahjong table with Rikuson, Ryomo, and Kogai. They were in the middle of a game when a portal suddenly opened up in the ceiling.

Ryujin Gaim and Jam crashed down on the table and sent the mahjong pieces falling to the floor, much to their shock. They jumped away from the table as the two Kamen Riders rolled off and dropped into a portal on the floor.

Kogai was the first to recover.

"What just happened?"

The door opened and an annoyed Shuyu glared at them.

"Please don't make any noise."

"But, Shuyu-dono-!" Masataka started.

Shuyu slammed the door before he could even explain what had happened.

Masataka looked down at the floor. He was going to have to talk to Nagata about this.

* * *

A portal opened up in an office and both Ryujin Gaim and Jam crashed into the room. As they fought, papers and various items scattered and fell to the floor.

They then exited through a portal together.

Hideyoshi entered his office just as the two vanished, only to see that his office was a mess. He expected to see his office neat and tidy like the way he left it before. But now his things were scattered all over the floor. Some were even in pieces.

Even worse – his most cherished possession – his abacus was also broken in half.

"MY ABACUS!"

* * *

The man selling cabbages was pulling his cart with him. Hopefully, the next town was safe and peaceful. He had enough of his precious cabbages being destroyed.

Suddenly, Jam and Ryujin Gaim came flying out of a portal. They smashed through the cart before they vanished into another portal.

The poor man's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief.

He looked at the spot where they had vanished and then back at his ruined cart.

Then back to the spot, and his cart again.

He looked back and forth, repeatedly, at the spot and his smashed up cart.

When he thought he would never have to suffer the destruction of his property again, somehow something would happen that would smash his cart and his cabbages. This kept happening no matter where he went. Even the supposedly safest cities were not safe enough for him, his cabbages or his cart.

It was frustrating.

Feeling devastated, he dropped to his knees, shook his fists in the air, and screamed at the Heavens.

"MY CABBAGE CART!"

* * *

The Evolved Inves were tricky foes. The Evolved Crow Inves did not just have sharp talons, but it could also shoot its feathers like harpoons with a flap of its wings.

The Evolved Scorpion Inves' had highly durable armor and great mobility. Its claws looked strong enough to crush the armored Shoku Warriors, and nobody wanted to be on the wrong end of that stinger.

It took the Shoku Warriors all of their available strength, power, skill and cunning to overcome these monsters.

The Evolved Crow Inves flapped its wings, throwing harpoon-like feathers at the Shoku Warriors.

"Watch out!" Ryugen-Yomi shouted as he pushed Kochu away from the oncoming harpoons. They pierced the ground. Fortunately, nobody was hit. The couple soon fired back at the Evolved Crow Inves.

While worried about Nagata, Ryuubi focused on the fight.

" _DRAGON STAR FLASH!_ "

She threw her attack and the star flew at the Evolved Crow Inves' face. It exploded and the Evolved Crow Inves shrieked as it was blinded. It tried to grab someone with its talons but failed as the sharp tips scraped the ground.

The Evolved Scorpion Inves whipped its tail, sending Bacho and Batai flying. It swung again but Ryofu caught its tail with the edge of her blade then pushed back. She then yelled and kicked the beast right in the face, sending it staggering back. It lunged, snapping its pincers. It wanted to cut her in half with its claws. It struck with one claw, but she batted it aside. It struck with the other, but the same thing happened.

Ryofu quickly retaliated with a forward jab, shattering the armor on its head and causing it to shriek in pain.

" _DOUBLE FLASH!_ "

Bacho and Batai pinned the Evolved Scorpion Inves' claws to the ground with their spears. It struggled to free its claws, lashing out with its tail. Ryofu stepped forward, easily batting the tail aside with her Heaven-Piercer. When it tried to sting her, she jumped back and swung her weapon, chopping the glowing stinger off.

"Stand back!" Chouhi yelled. " _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!_ "

Chouhi brought a bolt of lightning crashing down upon the Evolved Scorpion Inves, causing it to shriek in pain. She zapped it continuously until it expired. The electricity in its body built up before it exploded.

At the same time, the Evolved Crow Inves was meeting its end.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI AU LAIT!]**

"Fire!" Ryugen-Yomi ordered as he squeezed the trigger.

" _FALCON ARROW!_ "

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!_ "

Their combined attacks hit the Evolved Crow Inves as it dove down towards them and it erupted into a massive fireball.

"Alright, that takes care of that," said Ryugen-Yomi.

Jam and Ryujin Gaim suddenly returned to Touka Village as they tumbled out of a portal together. They then broke apart to resume their fight.

Ryujin Gaim threw a punch aimed at Jam's face, but this was a feint. His true target was her Lockseed as his other fist was heading toward it.

' _If I shatter it, I'll beat her!_ ' he thought hopefully. He could end this without killing her.

But then she caught the fist that was aiming for her Lockseed, causing him to freeze.

"That was pretty sneaky of you. You almost had me, Naga-kun," Jam praised.

"How…?" Ryujin Gaim boggled.

"How did I know you were going to do that? It's easy. I saw it happen before you thought of it," Jam claimed.

"What…?"

"Clairvoyance. _That's_ my gift. I know every move you'll make before you even think of them. That's why you won't be able to defeat me."

Jam threw Ryujin Gaim back with a palm strike. She then opened a portal beside her and reached inside to draw her weapon.

It was an odachi like her signature Black Blood Spiller. The blade was pitch black and covered in white specks like it was made from a piece of the night's sky. A malevolent violet glow surrounded the blade.

This sword was called **Midnight Sliver**.

"Please stop struggling and come back to me, Naga-kun."

Ryujin Gaim's eyes narrowed. Now he was more determined to subdue her.

"You can see the future, huh? Then I'll just go faster than your future sight!"

Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[COCO BOXERS!]**

The Coco Boxers appeared on his arms and he hit the Cutting Blade.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN DANMAKU!"_

Ryujin Gaim began to throw a flurry of powerful punches, sending Jam skidding back with each blow.

She saw the punches coming and blocked them effectively. She then spread her wings and shot her feathers at Ryujin Gaim, knocking him back.

"This is just insanity, Naga-kun."

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN KIBA!"_

Ryujin Gaim attacked Jam with a series of vicious roundhouse kicks. The energy surrounding his feet took the shape of dragon jaws which bit down on Jam with each kick. Like before, she saw each kick coming and dodged them.

He leaped at her with an axe kick but she spun out of the way at the last second.

 **[MUSOU SABER!]**

Ryujin Gaim loaded the Ichigo Lockseed into the Musou Saber's Drive Launch.

 **[LOCK ON! 1, 10, 100! ICHIGO CHARGE!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN ARASHI!"_

Ryujin Gaim swung the Musou Saber, sending a sea of Ichigo Kunai flying at Jam.

Jam's crow wings wrapped around her body, shielding her from the explosive kunai.

Once the assault ended, Jam spread her wings, blowing the smoke away. She then took off and flew toward him. She slashed him repeatedly with the Midnight Sliver.

Finally, she sent him rolling across the ground with a vicious slash, but he returned to his feet.

"Please stop, Naga-kun. Nothing you do can surprise me. I _know_ you, I _know_ how you fight, and I _know_ every move you'll make before you even consider it. Just stop before you hurt yourself."

Ryujin Gaim climbed to his feet. He refused to surrender and twisted the Ryujin Key.

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]**

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN HOU!"_

Ryujin Gaim fired the DJ Gun and Jam immediately summoned a portal to take the blast instead. Jam mentally shook her head at this. He had tried this before.

As a portal opened behind Ryujin Gaim, he slid his Musou Saber into the DJ Gun, combining them into the DJ Taiken.

He spun around and sliced the blast in half with the DJ Taiken's blade. He then sped toward Jam, summoning his signature orange sword.

 **[DAIDAIMARU!]**

The Daidaimaru attached to the DJ Taiken, pommel-to-pommel, forming the DJ Sojinto.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN NO SOJINTO ZAN!_ "

Ryujin Gaim slashed Jam repeatedly with the energized blades of the DJ Sojinto. She was struck multiple times in succession as she yelled in frustration and outrage.

Her Naga-kun was really ruffling her feathers, literally.

Using her wings, Jam batted him away. He flung backward but landed on his feet. He tossed the DJ Sojinto away and twisted the Ryujin Key.

"Lend me your power, Nobunaga."

He summoned his new Arms Weapon. In a flash of light, a purple shotgun rifle appeared in his hands. The rifle had a bayonet attached to the barrel and a Drive Bay built into it.

 **[NOBUNAGUN!]**

As Jam swung her odachi, Ryujin Gaim blocked with the Nobunagun. The blade crashed against the barrel of the rifle. Ryujin Gaim pushed the blade aside and slammed the butt of the rifle into Jam's gut, driving her back.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim summoned up rows of floating spectral Nobunaguns and they leveled themselves at Jam like a firing squad. Taking aim, he squeezed the trigger and bombarded Jam with a massive barrage.

" _DAI RYUJIN BAKUDAN!"_

Jam shielded herself with her wings as she was being pelted by multiple shotgun blasts.

"STOP IT!"

Jam screamed in frustration as she dissolved into a swarm of insects. The insect swarm enveloped Ryujin Gaim and began to glow as the bugs started to seep into his body.

She was trying to force her way into Nagata's body again.

"Kara-chan-stop this!" Ryujin Gaim shouted as he resisted.

Karasu's face formed in the swarm, locking eyes with Ryujin Gaim's visor.

" _Please don't fight me, Naga-kun. I just want us to be together..._ " she spoke in a calm, yet eerily soothing voice.

"Kara-chan, let me go!"

" _I'm not letting you go. I will never, ever let you go._ "

"No, this isn't right!"

" _No, never. I will never let you go ever again_. _Please understand. I'm only doing this for you_."

Ryujin Gaim struggled in her grasp as he glared back at her.

"Maybe that's what you believe, Kara-chan! But I can't let you hurt anyone!"

" _Why!? This isn't our world! Why do you care so much about it!?_ " demanded Karasu.

"If you haven't realized it now, then let me say it again! This world deserves to be protected and I will be the one to protect it! That is my oath as a Kamen Rider!"

Ryujin Gaim's electrical Ki exploded from his body, violently repelling the insect swarm. Karasu screamed. She tried to maintain her hold on him, but his aura pushed harder until she was forced to separate from him.

The swarm reformed into Jam as Ryujin Gaim stood before her.

"Please surrender, Kara-chan," Ryujin Gaim pleaded.

"NEVER!" Jam shrieked as she summoned up a new batch of Locust Kaijin. Responding to her emotions, the newly summoned Locust Kaijin swarmed the village and attacked. They would destroy everything for her, and she didn't want anything left standing.

She could just build her empire upon its remains.

"You all handle the bugs!" Ryujin Gaim commanded the Shoku Warriors. "Leave Kara-chan to me!"

"YES, NAGATA-SAMA!"

The Shoku Warriors spread out and attacked the Locust Kaijin. They attacked fiercely, striking down the Locust Kaijin with swift devastating blows. The Locust Kaijin stood no chance against the armored Shoku Warriors.

Their weapons, their armor, their skills, and their enhanced capabilities will see them through this battle.

Jam wasn't going to surrender. In fact, she was still trying to convince Ryujin Gaim to join her. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed violently.

This was a fight to the end. Neither of them was holding back. However, neither wanted to kill the other.

"Look, if you want, you can keep the girls as concubines! I could always use some help in satisfying you!" Jam bargained.

"They are _not_ concubines!" Ryujin Gaim snapped.

"Could've fooled me!"

After seeing him sleep with a different girl every night, she would not be convinced otherwise.

Ryujin Gaim clubbed Jam across the face with the Nobunagun. She slashed him across the chest in retaliation. He kicked her in the stomach next, driving her back. He then fired at her with the Nobunagun, sending her backpedaling.

Jam couldn't believe Ryujin Gaim was actually trying to hurt her. This had to be some kind of nightmare! It had to be!

It was the only thing that made sense!

"Kara-chan, please," Ryujin Gaim begged. "Just surrender. We don't have to do this."

"Oh, but I do. I really do. It's the only way I can get you to see reason!"

"You're the one who needs to see reason here!"

Ryujin Gaim went to club her, but his weapon passed through her as her body dissolved into a swarm of bugs. Reforming behind him, she prepared to strike.

Jam's blade passed through Ryujin Gaim as he vanished, much to her surprise. It was an afterimage. Eyes widening in panic and confusion, she quickly realized her folly.

Coming at her at super speed, Ryujin Gaim smashed her in the face with the Nobunagun and sent her soaring. Her wings helped her come to a stop and her eyes widened as she saw Ryujin Gaim coming at her.

Why had she not seen that coming? She should have predicted it.

Was Ryujin Gaim going faster than her own ability to see the future?

Or was he changing the future?

The Nobunagun changed form as the bayonet folded forward and over the muzzle, resembling a sickle or a scythe. The blade struck her across the chest, sending her sliding back. Skidding to a stop, she then spread her black seraph wings and took off into the sky.

"You're not getting away!" Ryujin Gaim shouted as he flew up after her, trailing lightning.

Jam, seeing her cousin coming for her, opened up an array of Helheim portals and sent vines out towards Ryujin Gaim. They lashed out at him, but he cut them away with his Nobunagun's bayonet blade.

Ryujin Gaim picked up speed, but Jam had another trick up her sleeve. She opened more portals, but this time fired living projectiles. She sent Locust Kaijin rocketing towards Ryujin Gaim. They trailed fire as they shrieked towards Ryujin Gaim.

They came in so fast that he was hit and sent crashing into the castle. Ryujin Gaim groaned as he lay beneath the rubble.

Jam glared at the Shoku Warriors and hit her Cutting Blade twice.

 **[TAOWU AU LAIT!]**

Dark energy crackled in her hands as she raised them up. Her swarm gathered between her palms, forming a sphere which grew with every passing second. It soon expanded into a gigantic sphere of energy with her insect swarm gathered inside.

She gazed down at the Shoku Warriors and her eyes narrowed as she targeted them.

This was their entire fault! She had everything planned out but they had ruined everything!

Now, they were going to...

"DIE!"

She hurled the dark energy sphere at them. There was no way they could outrun it, and not even their armor could save them now.

 **[MELON DEFENDER! APPLE REFLECTER!]**

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

The giant dark energy ball smashed into the barrier, causing it to burst. Jam realized that Ryujin Gaim had once again shielded the Shoku Warriors.

"Even now you still protect them?" Jam growled in annoyance.

"Of course I will! I'll always protect them!" declared Ryujin Gaim.

"That's just an idea they planted in your head!" Jam snapped. "Have you not once thought about the people you left behind because you wanted to be a 'hero'? I bet you wanted to go home the first time you were brought to this place against your will! And then, once you were back where you belonged, you decided to abandon everyone, your friends, your parents, but more importantly _me_! How can you be so selfish!?"

Ryujin Gaim offered no answer as he remained silent.

"Answer me, Naga-kun!" Jam demanded. She still got no response. Frustrated and angry, Jam decided to finish this fight. She would have Nagata back and they would go home together once they burned this place to the ground along with everyone in it.

 **[TAOWU SPARKING!]**

Jam descended, gaining speed to execute a dropkick.

In response, Ryujin Gaim hit his Cutting Blade twice.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN AU LAIT!]**

Gold energy gathered behind Ryujin Gaim and formed the shape of the Oda Clan crest. Jam's eyes widened at the sight as the energy flowed towards Ryujin Gaim and entered his Nobunagun. The bayonet blade glowed as Ryujin Gaim prepared to launch his attack.

Jam knew he would attack her in the middle of her dropkick and formed a portal as she descended. She flew into it.

At the same time, another portal opened behind Ryujin Gaim. At this range, she could not miss and he would not be able to dodge it in time.

But Ryujin Gaim knew she would do this. He spun around just as she came out of the portal.

" _DAI RYUJIN REAPER!_ "

The Nobunagun's bayonet blade released a purple energy slash that resembled a swinging dragon's tail. It hit Jam and sent her crashing to the ground with immense force. Stunned by the attack, Jam was unable to move.

"Naga-kun, please..." Jam pleaded desperately.

Ryujin Gaim tossed the Nobunagun away and hit the Cutting Blade three times.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN RIDER KICK!"_

Ryujin Gaim leaped into the air, trailing lighting. He flung himself at Jam as he performed a powerful flying kick. Jam screamed as she took a direct hit, causing an explosion.

As the smoke cleared, Jam's armor flashed before disappearing. Karasu had survived, but only because Ryujin Gaim held back.

As for the Taowu Lockseed, it popped out of her SengokuDriver and vanished.

"It's over, Kara-chan."

Karasu was on her knees, injured and defeated. She was at his mercy now.

"Naga-kun..."

Karasu Oda was completely defenseless. If he chose to finish her off, there was nothing she could do to stop him. Instead, Ryujin Gaim closed his Kachidoki Lockseed. In a flash, his armor vanished, leaving him in his civilian form.

Karasu stared at him in confusion. This was his chance to destroy her, so why did he stop?

"What...?"

Ryugen-Yomi immediately stormed up to Nagata and grabbed him by the collar.

"What are you doing, Nagata!? Finish her off!"

Nagata pushed Ryugen-Yomi away.

"I can't do that!"

"Why? Because she's family? She's dangerous! She tried to kill us!"

Ryugen-Yomi could not help but hate Karasu right now. The way she justified her actions reminded him of his ex-fiancée Sadako. She too tried to control him, and Karasu was just like her.

Nagata, however, did not see that. Her actions might seem selfish and self-serving, but everything she did was for him. She loved him and wanted to save him. That was why he was showing her mercy.

"But killing her won't solve anything! I'm already sick of all the death and senseless killing! She doesn't need to be killed. There's just...something wrong with her. We just need to help her, that's all."

Ryugen-Yomi could not believe what he was hearing.

"Are you serious? You want to help _her_?"

"That's right!"

As Nagata and Ryugen-Yomi argued, Karasu's eyes narrowed.

"Not yet..." Karasu's eyes glowed as she rose to her feet. A swarm of locusts flew past the two Riders and surrounded the Shoku Warriors. The insects latched on the girls and began to suck the life out of them as they cried out in pain.

"No!" Nagata shouted in protest.

"You bitch!" Ryugen-Yomi aimed his Budou Ryuhou at Karasu.

"Iori, no! Stand down!" Nagata ordered, halting him.

"But-!" Ryugen-Yomi wanted to protest.

"Please...Just trust me."

Ryugen-Yomi hesitated. Everyone's life was in danger. Could he risk it all by trusting Nagata?

He relented and lowered his weapon. He then closed his Lockseed, banishing his armor.

"I hope you know what you're doing..." Iori muttered.

"Naga-kun, this is your _last_ chance. Come with me or they all die," Karasu threatened.

"Kara-chan, please stop this," Nagata pleaded.

"You might've been able to bring Kanu back, but can you bring them all back if I tear them to pieces?" Karasu challenged, ignoring his plea.

Nagata stood still as he tried to make a decision. Karasu was holding the girls hostage to make him comply with her wishes. He knew she would go through with her threat of killing the girls if he didn't do as she said.

But what would stop her from killing the girls anyway once she got what she wanted? There was no guarantee she would keep her word. Once she got him, she could just easily kill the girls and put him under her control again.

It was time to make a decision.

Nagata walked towards Karasu, ignoring everyone's protests.

"Nagata-sama, no!"

"Don't do it!"

"Nagata-niichan, come back!"

Karasu smiled victoriously. She finally won. After this, nobody would take her beloved cousin from her ever again.

Nagata stood beside Karasu, facing everybody. He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

Karasu smiled, seeing this as a sign of acceptance.

Nagata let out a sigh.

"I'm so sorry."

Karasu sighed and shook her head. Of course, he would apologize to his harem for choosing her over them. After this was over, she would comfort him and help him get over them.

Nagata suddenly drove his fist into Karasu's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

Shocked, Karasu held her stomach and staggered.

She had made the mistake of dropping her guard around him.

Nagata then punched her right in the face, knocking her out, and breaking her mask in half.

As soon as her mask broke, the insects attacking the girls scattered away.

As Karasu fell unconscious, Nagata held her gently in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Kara-chan."

It was over.

* * *

 **Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil**

 **Taowu Arms:** Summoned via the Taowu Lockseed, this Arms form grants the user the powers of Taowu, one of the Four Great Fiends. Taowu Arms' stats allow the user to match against a Sovereign Arms. In addition, it gives the user the ability to predict the moves of the opponents, allowing them to formulate counters instantly. The user can also launch minions like rockets from portals. Taowu Arms also comes with a set of wings that grants the user the ability to fly and superior speed. The signature Arms Weapon of this form is an odachi called the **Midnight Sliver**. She can also access an **Empowered Mode** that grants her a set of six giant crow-like wings.

* * *

 **KRC:** So, the moral of the story is that people are not always how they present themselves to be. On the outside, they're your friend, but inside they are just plotting your downfall. Nagata had to experience this himself, and it was a shocking revelation. Now, he has to make a difficult choice in how he deals with his cousin. Being a leader is not the easiest job in the world, no matter how many people make it look like it is. So, anyone who guessed correctly that Karasu and Jam were one and the same, congratulate yourself.

This was a bitter victory for Nagata since he had to fight someone he loved. Well, at least there was a miracle. Nagata was able to save Kanu's life. Don't worry though. This is not going to be like Dragonball where everything can be fixed with a wish.

I wanna thank **Pega-Rider** for helping out. He has been helping me for some time now. Read his fics too.

 **Bebop Wolf** and **Boy Sugba** , thank you for offering your constructive criticism. I will try to broaden my horizons. I mean, I was even considering killing off Kanu just to make this scene more tragic. I just could not do it, unfortunately.

 **Raise your flag** , I will consider your request, but I really do enjoy Kamen Rider. But a tragic hero would be interesting to try, so maybe I'll do that.

I know some will complain about "last minute miracles" but hero stories have always been about hope to me. Sure, it looks deus ex machina. I won't deny that. But tell me you never wished for a miracle. At least in fiction, there is a higher chance for miracles.

 **TFP:** Now Karasu is down, but the foundation of the Shoku Kingdom has been rocked by one of their own. Bonds are being tested and faith has been shattered. Karasu's idea of love has poisoned everything. Perhaps in time, they can all recover, but knowing how things are in the Three Kingdoms, that is not going to be a resource they can count on.

* * *

Ukitsu watched Touka Village from a distance. Once again, the home of Gaim and the Shoku Warriors survived another assault, but only barely. It would take them quite some time to recover, mostly emotionally as the attack was caused by the betrayal from one of their own.

Ukitsu sighed.

He was disappointed. Karasu Oda showed such promise. She had the skill to infiltrate the Shoku Warriors and the patience to keep her true intentions hidden. There were a few near slip-ups, however, but Karasu was good at deceiving others.

Unfortunately, her obsession with her cousin proved to be her downfall.

Ukitsu had seen how the whole thing went down, from start to finish. He knew it was only a matter of time until Karasu's true nature was exposed. He was proven right when she staged an attack to conquer Shoku.

She failed miraculously, even when she had the Taowu Lockseed at her disposal. Speaking of which, Ukitsu now held the Taowu Lockseed in his possession. Upon Karasu's defeat, it returned to him.

At least Karasu succeeded in proving that the Taowu Lockseed was usable. Thanks to her, he could proceed with his plans.

He was one step closer to reaching his goal.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19A: ABRIDGED PARODY #1**

On the first episode when Nagata transforms on purpose:

 **[ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]**

"Wow! Amazing! I now have the armor and powers of my favorite character! Just like I've always wanted! Now, even if I am just a normal guy in a suit of fictional armor, I know I will be victorious because I believe! Also, this is obviously wish-fulfilment, so there's no way I can lose! I AM THE SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE!"

And so Nagata defeats his first monster. He later gains the love of multiple strong warrior women.

And they banged.

The End.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19B: ABRIDGED PARODY #2**

When Not-Baron meets Not-Gaim.

"Let us duel, Oda! Let us show who is stronger!"

"I will defeat you, Akechi!"

"No, you won't! You have the perfect happy family, while I lost my whole family and ended up in the wrong crowd! As the audience is supposed to sympathize with me more, I shall be victorious!"

"Damn, you might be right! But I'm the main character! I should win by default!"

"Well, I am fighting for my ruler who I won't let her give me orders but I follow her orders anyway because she looks like my dead sister!"

"Then we shall see who will win! Let us furiously scream each other's names at the top of our lungs! AKECHI!"

"ODA!"

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19C: ABRIDGED PARODY #3**

"Oh, yeah! A tournament arc! This is going to be fun!" Nagata exclaimed.

"Why? What's the point?" Iori asked.

"Well, duh! Because every shonen manga and anime has a tournament arc! We're just doing the same thing!"

"Not so well, it seems!"

"Hey, Oda! You and I will fight!" Mitsuki challenged.

"Hell, yeah!" agreed Nagata.

"And we will too!" Haru said.

"Sorry, but totally forgettable _tools_ like you don't have a say," Mitsuki reminded Haru, Kenshin, Hideyoshi, and Marcus.

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19D: ABRIDGED PARODY #4**

"And do you deserve this power?" Chosen asked.

"Hell yeah! I'm the main character! People are supposed to follow my story and see how great I am while sympathizing with me when I whine in grief!" Nagata answered.

"Then go ahead! Grab that power and become stronger physically but not mentally or emotionally!"

"I'm not going to bother improving my character since I'll be super powerful!"

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19E: ABRIDGED PARODY #5**

Kochu asked, "So, your parents didn't love you?"

Iori nodded sadly. "No, they didn't."

Kochu smiled and flashed her breasts.

"Let me be your _mommy_ , baby."

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19F: ABRIDGED PARODY #6**

"I'm sorry, Mom. I have to go save the world in the past. I also have to go so I don't get trapped in lame mediocrity despite having a loving family," Nagata said to Yang.

"That's alright. You're not my real son anyway. I just adopted you since my sister died and you needed a family," said Yang.

"Sorry I have to go."

"It's OK. You're a teenager. Now I'm going to get on my cool bike and ride freely. NO MORE RESPONSIBILITIES!"

"I LOVE YOU, MOM!"

"I LOVE YOU TOO!"

* * *

 **AWG CHIBI OMAKE #19E: A HAPPY(?) REUNION**

Yang mysteriously found herself in Ancient China. To be more specific, she was standing in the middle of the garden of Nagata's castle.

And she spotted her son.

"Nagata?"

Nagata was in the middle of his sword form when he saw his mother. Surprised, he dropped his sword.

"Mom?"

Yang smiled.

"Nagata!"

Yang ran toward her son.

Nagata gasped and smiled back as he ran toward her.

"Mom!"

Yang's smile soon turned into a scowl.

"Nagata!"

Nagata became confused and then nervous.

"Mom?"

Yang was furious.

"NAGATA!"

Nagata quickly turned around to run away from his angry mother.

"OH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS!"

Yang chased after him.

"YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE, YOUNG MAN! HOW COULD YOU JUST LEAVE WITHOUT A WORD! WAIT TIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Nagata screamed apologized as he fled from his anger mother.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Yang chased Nagata around the garden, yelling at him as he screamed in terror.


	31. Caged Blackbird

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

Nagata sat on his throne. His officers stood to the side, with stern expressions on their faces. They were gathered together due to a serious matter.

Nagata looked down at the person kneeling before him. She was a complete mess after her defeat. She was restrained, with her hands tied behind her back. She was on her knees with Ryofu standing behind her, ready to act if she tried anything funny.

She was guilty of treason. She was also guilty of kidnapping Shoku's ruler.

The person was one of their own, a traitor who had betrayed them all.

Her name was Karasu Oda and she was the Seiryuoh's own second cousin.

"Karasu Oda," Nagata spoke, with his tone absent of any affection he had for her. "You are hereby guilty of treason. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Karasu was silent as she hung her head. Her hair covered her face like a curtain.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Nagata repeated.

Karasu looked defeated, but there was still defiance in her eyes as she looked at Nagata's officers. She then locked her gaze with Nagata's.

"I did it for you," she answered.

"You kidnapped me, manipulated me, and tried to make me kill the people I love," he listed. "And you claim you did it all for _me_?"

Karasu nodded silently, eyes closed as she waited for his judgment.

"Do you have anything else to say in your defense?" he commanded.

She remained silent.

Nagata shook his head and sighed. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Ren, take her to the dungeon," Nagata commanded. "Everyone, you're all dismissed."

Ryofu pulled Karasu up to her feet. She looked up at Nagata with a soft and pathetic gaze. However, Nagata could not bring himself to look at her.

When she looked at the others, however, there was venom in her gaze. It was as if she blamed them for this.

Karasu did not resist as Ryofu escorted her to the dungeon to serve her sentence. She was just so emotionally drained.

The others began to leave the throne room, though some lingered hesitantly before leaving.

Once Nagata was alone, he released a sad sigh and buried his face in his hands.

How did it all come to this?

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 20: Caged Blackbird**

* * *

The village did not survive the attack unscathed. Homes were destroyed, and so many of their soldiers and civilians had been injured or killed during the attack. It would take quite some time for them to recover and rebuild.

Nagata and Ryuubi went to Kada's clinic to check up on Gien's condition. The girl with two-toned hair was gravely injured during the last battle. Ryuubi had brought her to Kada for emergency treatment.

"How is she?" Ryuubi asked as she and Nagata stood outside Kada's clinic.

Kada gave a sigh.

"I've done all I could. There's nothing more I can do for her," Kada said apologetically.

Ryuubi's frown deepened when she heard this, but she stayed strong.

"We understand. Thank you, Kada-sensei," Nagata said gratefully. "Come on, Touka."

Ryuubi silently nodded as she entered the clinic with Nagata.

They saw Gien lying on the bed. She looked pale and weak from blood loss and had bandages wrapped around her torso. Kada had treated Gien the best he could, but her injuries were far too severe.

Ryuubi knelt at her bedside as Nagata stood by her side. The rosette took the injured girl's hand gently in hers.

"Enya, how are you feeling?" Ryuubi asked as she tried to fight back her tears.

"Touka...sama..." Gien said weakly.

"Save your strength. You're going to get better," Ryuubi said as she wept.

Gien smiled.

"Touka-sama...there's no need to lie. I know...I know it's my time."

"Come on, Enya. You're a fighter. You can pull through."

"Touka-sama..."

"It doesn't have to end like this, Enya! I'm sure we can do something!"

Gien gave her a smile of contentment.

"No, it's alright. I'm not afraid."

"Enya..."

"Touka-sama...it's been an honor...serving you..." Gien looked over to Nagata who could only gaze at her somberly. "Nagata-sama...please look after...Touka-sama for me..."

"I promise," he vowed.

"I know you will. And tell Tanpopo...to become...stronger. Goodbye..."

Gien smiled contently as she drew a breath and closed her eyes.

They didn't open again.

"Enya? Enya, please say something. Enya, open your eyes! ENYA!" Ryuubi cried as she wept over her bodyguard's body. Nagata knelt down beside Ryuubi and put an arm around her to comfort her.

"Touka, she's gone."

"Nagata-sama! Please, save her!" Ryuubi pleaded. "Bring her back to life like you did Aisha! Please, Nagata-sama! Please..."

She looked so desperate right now. He could not bear seeing her like this.

"Alright, I'll try."

Nagata took out the Ryujin Key. He concentrated, trying to make it glow.

But nothing happened. It would not respond to him.

He could not bring Gien back.

"Nagata-sama...?"

"I'm sorry. I can't..."

He did not know how he did it before, so he could not save Gien.

"No...no, no, no..."

She latched onto him and cried into his chest as he held her.

Gien was gone. She had succumbed to her injuries and passed away.

Hopefully, she would rest in peace.

"Goodbye, Enya," Nagata whispered.

* * *

Meanwhile, in her home, Gengan was having a drink of wine. When she put her cup down, it cracked. Her eyes narrowed when she saw this.

"This is not a good sign."

* * *

Ryuubi and Nagata walked back to the castle. It was hard to accept that Gien was gone, but Ryuubi's bodyguard had indeed breathed her last breath.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Ryuubi said sorrowfully.

Nagata could tell she was beginning to grieve and gently took her hand.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, regretting what had happened.

"What will we tell the others?" Ryuubi asked.

"The truth," he answered. "This isn't something we can just hide from them."

Ryuubi couldn't argue with Nagata's logic.

They both arrived at the castle. The guards let them in and they went to meet the others who were waiting for them in the living room. They were still licking their wounds from the previous battle. They had scrapes and bruises, but they were otherwise fine.

Unfortunately, Nagata only had bad news for them.

Batai was the first to ask.

"So, how's Enya?"

Nagata grimaced as Ryuubi wept. They couldn't bring themselves to say that Gien was gone, but to lie to them would be a disservice. They had to let them know the truth.

"What? What's wrong?" Batai asked when she saw their reaction to her question. "What happened to Enya?"

"Enya...Enya is..." Ryuubi couldn't finish her sentence as she buried her face in her hands and cried.

Nagata finished the sentence for her.

"Enya's gone, Tanpopo."

The room became silent, as everyone was hit by the revelation.

One of their own was dead.

But none were hit as hard as Batai.

"No! No way!" Batai denied shaking her head frantically. "You're lying! She can't be gone! She can't be!"

"Tanpopo..." Bacho reached out to comfort her cousin but had her hand angrily smacked away.

"ENYA CAN'T BE GONE!" Batai screamed in denial. "YOU SAVED AISHA! YOU CAN SAVE HER TOO!"

"Tanpopo!" Bacho admonished.

Nagata hung his head in guilt and shame.

He was responsible for this.

He could not save Gien.

Her death was on his head.

"I'm so sorry."

Batai gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, as tears welled up in her eyes. She then stormed off without another word. Bacho stood up and bowed before she followed her cousin to console her.

"We should give her time," Komei advised.

Nagata could understand Batai's pain. She had just lost her best friend. It was heartbreaking. However, as much as he sympathized with Batai, he still needed to deal with the fallout.

"You should all go and get some rest," Nagata instructed. "It's been a long day for all of us."

Nobody denied the order and went back to their rooms. However, would any of them get any rest?

Iori remained with Kochu, glaring at Nagata before the couple went back to their room. Nagata sighed as he leaned against the wall.

Right now, they all needed to mourn.

* * *

Nagata went down to the dungeon. He stood in front of Karasu's cell. She sat in her cell, guilty of treason. Nagata had sentenced her to be locked up in the dungeon for her crimes. It was painful for him, but it had to be done. Her betrayal had stung them deeply and she must pay for her crimes.

Normally, treason was punishable by death, but the death sentence was out of the question for him. So was banishment. He did not want to send her away or to kill her. So he decided to lock her up in the dungeon where she would no longer cause them any trouble and they could keep an eye on her.

Even after what she had done, he decided to show her mercy. He would not execute her, but he could not pardon her either. It was not an easy decision for him to make. Karasu was family. He loved her and cared about her. Unfortunately, his love for her blinded him to what she truly was. As a result, Gien and many others had died during Karasu's attack on the village.

This was not the first time Nagata had experienced betrayal. Nise had betrayed them before. He had deceived them for his own ambition. Iori killed him after his last attempt to get back at Nagata and claim Kanu for himself.

Yet, that was not the first betrayal Nagata had ever experienced. The first time Nagata experienced betrayal was during his time as a student at Tsukahara-sensei's dojo. He once had a friend at the dojo who he was close to named Taiga Shiba. They shared a passion for kendo that was matched only by their dedication to the art. He was also Nagata's best friend. Unfortunately, they had not parted on the best of terms.

Unlike those times, Karasu's betrayal cut the deepest. They had trusted her, treated her like family, but she had been plotting against them the whole time.

As he looked down at his cousin, Nagata still had trouble believing that she was the traitor that he was warned about. They were always so close and she was always at his side, always fighting alongside him. She would always watch his back and he was glad to have her as part of his life here.

However, her recent actions proved that she was indeed the traitor. She had put him under a mind-control spell and tried to kill his friends.

It was heartbreaking.

He wished it was just some nightmare and that he would wake up at any moment. Then everything would be alright, and back to normal.

Unfortunately, this was reality, and he had no choice but to accept it.

He had to accept the fact that Karasu had betrayed them all.

It still seemed so surreal, though. He never once suspected Karasu of being a traitor, but maybe he should've seen the signs. Karasu did seem a bit standoffish with the girls on occasion. He just thought that it was the usual tension that occurred when a large group of people were living together and trying to get used to each other.

Clearly, it wasn't.

But to deceive them all this time, she had to be a really good actress.

Or perhaps he was blind to the kind of person she truly was.

He had read her journal, and it revealed quite a lot about the kind of person his cousin truly was. He couldn't even deny it. She pretty much confessed to everything in her own handwriting.

Now he wasn't sure who he was looking at.

Did he truly know Karasu Oda or had she always been a stranger to him?

Did the cousin he loved truly exist or had it just been a facade?

He didn't think he knew who Karasu was anymore.

She was an enemy, and yet she was still family.

How was he supposed to process all _that_?

"Kara-chan."

After a moment of silence, she finally responded.

"Naga-kun..."

"I never expected you to betray us, Kara-chan."

"How can I betray you when all I ever wanted to do was save you?"

"Save me from what?"

"From _yourself_. You're not thinking clearly, so I have to be the one to do what's best for you. I'm the only one who knows what you need."

"No, this isn't just about me. You got everyone else involved in your scheme."

"Because I had to! I had to gain their trust so I could get close to you!"

"And once you got me, you wanted to eliminate them."

"They were an obstacle!"

"They're our friends!"

"They're not _my_ friends!"

"They accepted you, welcomed you with open arms like family and you betrayed them all! You betrayed _me_!"

"The only reason they welcomed me was because of you and my power. If I wasn't useful, I wouldn't have been accepted. And they would never have accepted you if you weren't an 'Armored War God' or 'Messenger of Heaven'. If you were just plain and normal, I bet they wouldn't even give you a second glance."

"You don't know that for sure, Kara-chan."

"Maybe not, but I'm the only one who knows how amazing you really are, even without any special powers. They don't know you like I do."

"Kara-chan..."

"When you disappeared, I didn't know what to do. Then I found a way. I came here looking for you. When I did, I realized that you did not just disappear. You chose to vanish! You left us all behind!"

"Kara-chan, I never meant to-"

"What!? Hurt us!? Well, you did! You came here to chase a dream when you had no reason to! You already had everything you could ever want or need back home! You had a family! You had friends! You had _me_! But it still was not enough for you! You wanted more! You wanted to be a hero when you already were one to me!"

Nagata was again hit by a wave of guilt brought upon by Karasu's rant.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about home, or Mom and Dad, or even my friends. I'm sorry that I abandoned you and I'm sorry I left you behind as well, but my place is here. This is where I belong."

"Because this is your 'destiny'? Who fed you that line? Did you even wonder why it had to be _you_? Or did you just blindly accept it because it was _your dream come true_? Grow up, Naga-kun!"

Nagata was silent. What could he say in response to that? How could he justify himself?

He could not.

Nagata hung his head in shame. He believed that he was doing the right thing. He thought staying here to protect this world was noble. However, Karasu made it sound like he was just being selfish.

Could she be right?

"I'm sorry, Kara-chan."

After that, Nagata turned away from her and left the dungeon.

"Naga-kun, come back here! Answer me, Naga-kun! NAGA-KUN, COME BACK! DON'T LEAVE ME! NAGA-KUN! NAGA-KUN! NAGA-KUUUUUUUUUUN!"

Nagata did not answer her. He couldn't.

Her words stung. He did not come back to this world just to satisfy his desire of being a hero. There were people here who needed him. If he did not come back, then there was no telling what could happen to them.

As much as it pained him to leave his old life and family behind, he had grown attached to this world. He felt obligated to stay and fulfill the duty and obligation he had been given.

He was a leader and that meant he needed to make hard choices. There was a difference between doing what was right and doing what was easy. The challenge was to be able to do what was necessary. Even if it meant keeping his cousin locked up and never letting her see the light of day ever again.

Karasu had not given him any other choice.

Then again, he had to bear the responsibility of resolving the conflict in this world ever since he made his choice.

Because with great power comes great responsibility.

* * *

Nagata sat in his office and finished the letter to Gengan. He was not alone, though. Komei was with him. He needed his advisor with him.

"Did I do the right thing?" Nagata wondered. He had mixed feelings about Karasu and did not know what to do with her. He had her locked up as punishment, but at the same time, he also wanted to help her.

It was a complicated situation. Unfortunately, he had to deal with it to the best of his ability.

"Nagata-sama..." Komei murmured sympathetically. While Karasu was a traitor, she was still a member of Nagata's family, and he loved his family.

"I can handle doing the right thing, but how I feel about it is another matter entirely..." Nagata said with a sigh.

"Doing the right thing isn't always easy, Nagata-sama. Many leaders in history had to make difficult choices," Komei told him.

"I still wish I didn't have to do that to her. She's family and I can't just give up on her. I can't just abandon her. But what she's done is unforgivable."

"And yet you're still going to try and help her," Komei concluded.

Of course, he would. Why wouldn't he want to help Karasu? She might have betrayed them and tried to destroy them, but Nagata still cared about her.

"It's my fault she's like this. She's my responsibility."

"Nagata-sama, you must not blame yourself for her actions. She was the one who chose her path."

Karasu might have made her own choices, but the choices she made were because of him. She was here because of him. She said so.

"Shuri, be honest with me, do you think I'm a selfish person?" Nagata asked.

"Of course not. You risk your life to protect the people," Komei answered.

That answer should be reassuring, but it did not help Nagata feel any better. True, he had risked his life to protect others. He had almost died before. Yet, how many people had suffered due to his mistakes? How many lives were lost because of his carelessness?

"That's what I thought until Kara-chan told me about everyone I left behind because I wanted a life of adventure. To be honest, I was bored with my life in my own world. I didn't have anything to fight for and was just living a normal life. But I was not content. I wanted something more. I wanted to be a hero, and so I left everyone behind because of that."

"Nagata-sama, sometimes a hero needs to make sacrifices for the greater good," Komei reassured him.

Greater good, huh?

Did Nagata even know what that meant?

"I really wish it would never come to that," he responded. He handed her the letter and instructed her, "Have this sent to Gengan and makes sure it gets to her immediately."

Komei took the letter, bowed, and left the office to have the letter delivered.

Once he was left alone, Nagata silently sat in his chair. He drummed his fingers on the table.

Karasu might've chosen her path, but she would not have gone down to that path if it were not for him.

When he learned from Nanamomo that a traitor might be in their ranks, had he done anything about it? Besides informing Komei of the possibility, he had not. He did not try to conduct searches for clues nor did he suspect anyone in his faction of being a traitor.

He did not want to believe there was a traitor at all.

And look at the result.

He was not the only one paying the price. Gien had paid with her life, like so many others killed in the attack. Villagers had lost their homes and loved ones.

Suddenly, he angrily shoved his things off his desk. He grabbed his chair and threw it against the wall, screaming. Electricity crackled around his eyes as they glowed. A moment later, the glow subsided.

He sat against the wall, regretting his foolish choices.

How could he not feel guilty? Karasu had come to this world because of _him_. She may have made the choice, but that did not mean he was not responsible as well. Everything that happened, including Gien's death, was a result of his own decision to stay here.

He loved Karasu, and he trusted her, but his love for her blinded him to the truth. He was unable to see her for what she truly was.

It was truly an eye-opener and a heartbreaking one at that. Karasu had played them from the beginning. She had earned their trust, fought alongside them, only to stab them in the back. She had used his faith in her against them.

He was not the only one who felt betrayed. The others felt it as well. They had trusted her, and she had made fools of them all. She was their comrade, but she planned for their downfall from behind their backs.

She would gain no sympathy from the others.

She would gain no forgiveness from them either.

She was a traitor.

She had betrayed them all.

It was simply too much to bear.

He looked to the shrine of his parents.

If his parents were here, what would they say at a time like this?

* * *

Cause and effect. When something happens as a result of an action. Nothing happens by chance. There was always a reason, a catalyst, for something to happen. It can even be caused by the choices we make.

Nagata lay on the floor of his room, flat on his back as he gazed blankly at the ceiling. So many confusing thoughts whirled around in his head.

There was so much happening, so much to process, so much to remember, and so much to question. It was so overwhelming. And yet, just felt so emotionally numb. After the shock passed, he just felt so confused.

Confused and guilty.

Why did things turn out this way?

There was a knock on his door. He let out a sigh and got back up to his feet to answer.

"Come in."

The door opened and Kanu entered.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him softly.

"I could be better," he said, not feeling quite sure. "How about you?"

Kanu put her hand against her stomach. The fatal wound Karasu had given to her was gone. There was not even a scar. All Kanu had were phantom pains of when the blade pierced her.

"I'm alright."

"I'm glad."

He honestly was. He could not even begin to imagine what he would have done if he had lost her.

Kanu's revival was nothing short of a miracle. Unfortunately, it was something he could not replicate. If he knew how he did it, then maybe Gien wouldn't be...

"I just can't believe Kara-chan would betray us like this."

"It's always the people closest to us that we don't suspect," Kanu stated wisely. She did not comment on how he still used Karasu's pet name. It was probably out of habit.

"Too true," Nagata agreed. " _I_ trusted her and look what happened."

"We all trusted her, Nagata-sama," replied Kanu.

"You don't sound too surprised that she betrayed us," Nagata observed.

"Shuri told us."

"Of course."

Now Kanu had her own questions.

"Nagata-sama, I can trust you to be honest with me, right?"

"Of course."

"How long have you known that there might be a traitor in our midst?"

Nagata closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He knew this was coming. His friends would question him about this.

He opened his eyes to meet hers.

He could not lie.

"Since the night Nanamomo-san died."

Kanu took in a deep breath. He had known for so long and did not tell them.

Kanu felt betrayed by her most trusted and beloved Lord. She trusted him, and she thought he trusted her.

Clearly, by withholding this information, he showed that he did not.

"Why didn't you tell us?" she asked.

"I...I didn't think it was wise to let anyone know until I was sure there was a traitor," said Nagata.

"You told Shuri. At least you could've told me. We could've done something. We could've been prepared."

"Aisha..."

"I don't blame Shuri for keeping this a secret since you made it an order, but this shouldn't have been a secret between _us_."

"Aisha, I'm so sorry."

He really was sorry. They had lost Gien and he had nearly lost Kanu. There were casualties too when Karasu sent her Locust Kaijin to attack the village.

Kanu turned away from him. She was upset. She felt betrayed by Nagata.

"I will still stand by your side, Nagata-sama. What happened doesn't change that. However, I'm not sure if you'll always stand by ours."

With her piece said, Kanu left his room and Nagata hung his head in shame.

He really should've told them, he really should've trusted them. He told Komei and he thought that was enough. However, the result of his choice proved otherwise. By the time they discovered the identity of the traitor, it was too late.

* * *

Nagata went down to the kitchen. He needed something to help calm him down. There was an unopened bottle of wine. It was a gift he received some time ago from Sousou.

Nagata wasn't much of a drinker, but he really needed something strong to take his mind off things. He needed something to dull the pain.

As he entered the kitchen with a lantern to light his way, he found Iori making some tea.

"Iori..."

"Shion can't sleep, so I'm making her tea to help calm her down."

"I just came to..."

"I was going to talk to you about your cousin," Iori interjected.

That was the last thing Nagata wanted to talk about tonight. He really was not in the mood.

"Iori, can't this wait? I don't have time for this right now," said Nagata.

Iori was not just going to drop the matter.

"Well, I'm _sorry_ , but you need to make time and listen! You trusted her, even after I warned you there was something funny about her!"

"Iori-"

"Let me finish! Do you want to know why I got so mad at you when you got upset about me executing those bandits without consulting you? It's because Shion and I are going to have a baby!"

Nagata was surprised by this revelation.

"Shion's...pregnant?"

"She is, and because we're going to have a baby that means our child needs to be kept safe in this already dangerous world. I was dealing with things which could be a threat to my baby, so I did what I had to do. What I should've realized sooner was that there was a threat hiding right under our noses.

"You knew that there was a traitor, but instead of sharing that information with the rest of us, you kept it to yourself. Sure, you told Shuri, but you told her not to tell us either. _You_ didn't trust us. You didn't do anything. She might be responsible for everything that just happened, but you're just as responsible for letting it happen. Everything she did, including Enya's death, is on your head. If you can trust someone like her, I don't think I can trust your judgment after this," Iori finished before he stepped out of the kitchen with the cup of tea.

Nagata was left alone with his thoughts.

He was no longer in the mood for wine.

Nagata left the kitchen and went back to his room. If he needed to clear his head, alcohol was not the answer.

* * *

Nagata sat on the floor in a lotus position to meditate. His eyes were closed as he breathed and relaxed his body and mind. He needed to organize his thoughts and emotions.

Focusing on the problem was not doing him any good. He needed a solution.

Guilt.

Regret.

Remorse.

They weighed heavily on his heart.

He just wished there was a way to fix this, but he knew there was no way to undo the damage Karasu had done. It hurt knowing that she had acted in his name. She believed whatever she had done was for his own good.

His sin was selfishness. He had taken everything for granted.

His sin was mistrust. He chose not to share information with his friends.

His sin was indecision. He did not know what he was supposed to do.

He was deep in meditation when he heard a knock on his door. A moment later, it opened and Ryuubi poked her head in.

"Nagata-sama, may I come in?"

Nagata slowly opened his eyes as she came inside.

Nagata murmured, "Touka..."

She saw tears in his eyes. When he noticed that his eyes were wet, he wiped the tears away.

He did not even realize that he'd been crying.

Ryuubi knelt down and immediately embraced him.

"Nagata-sama, are you alright?"

Nagata returned the embrace.

Was he alright?

"I'm fine."

"You were thinking about your cousin again, weren't you? Nagata-sama, you can't blame yourself for what she did. It's not your fault."

He wished he could believe that.

He should've known. He should've done something.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you need me to stay with you, tonight?"

' _Don't go._ '

"Touka, I think...tonight..."

' _Please stay.'_

"...I just want to be left alone..."

' _I don't want to be alone..._ '

"Alright, if that is what you want, Nagata-sama. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

Nagata felt a rift open in his heart as Touka reluctantly padded out of the room, with his thoughts reaching out for her to stay. Only her fading shadow caused whatever lingering emotions to deaden as he was left to ponder and muse on how things have spun so out of control.

Had he made the right choice?

No.

He realized that he just made a terrible mistake.

After everything he's been through, all he was left with now was the guilt caused by his choices.

It was a blunder that would be impossible to resolve.

He wept because of his remorse. If he had chosen to trust them more than his treacherous cousin, then perhaps things would not have turned out this way.

* * *

" _Nagata-sama..." Kanu approached Gaim-Darkness with open arms._

 _Gaim-Darkness drove his sword through her._

 _Kanu collapsed and gazed up at him with blank eyes._

" _Nagata-sama...why...?"_

 _His armor vanished._

 _Nagata stared in shock at his blood-stained hands and screamed._

* * *

"AISHA, NO!"

Nagata shot out of bed with a shout. Tears streamed from his eyes as his skin and robe were drenched in cold sweat. His bangs were matted to his forehead.

It was still the middle of the night.

Putting his hand against his forehead, he took deep breaths to calm himself down.

Aisha was not dead. He had stabbed her but he also managed to save her.

"Aisha's OK...Aisha's fine..." he told himself reassuringly, repeatedly. He managed to bring her back to life. He did not know how he did it, but he was grateful for the miracle.

Unfortunately, Gien had died along with many others during Karasu's attack on the village.

An attack that he was part of.

Just another thing he would have to live with from now on.

"Nagata-sama...?"

Nagata was not alone in bed. After he sent Ryuubi away, Ryofu decided to check up on him. She offered him comfort and this time he did not refuse.

Actually, he could not refuse. Ryofu insisted. There was little he could do to change her mind then.

"I'm fine, Ren. Go back to sleep."

Ryofu put her arms around Nagata and pulled him down to the bed with her. She gently stroked his hair to calm him down. He closed his eyes and melted in her embrace as he let her hold him.

* * *

Funeral arrangements were being made for Gien. As a Shoku Warrior, she would be given a proper send-off.

Gengan came as soon as she got the message. She rode her fastest horse to get to Shoku and arrived in Touka Village in a matter of days.

When she arrived, Nagata, Iori, and Kochu stood at the gate to greet her.

"Welcome, Gengan. I guess you got my letter. I wish your visit could've been under happier circumstances," said Nagata sympathetically.

When he didn't receive a reply, he didn't know if she was coming. But she had to come. Gien was her student.

No, Gien was more than that. The bond Gengan and Gien shared was intimate. They were like mother and daughter.

Gengan wasn't in the mood for pleasantries as she glared coldly at Nagata.

"Who killed her?" she demanded angrily.

Nagata couldn't meet her gaze. What could he tell her?

It was Iori who decided to break the news.

"It was one of our own."

"A _traitor_?" Gengan questioned.

"Yes."

"Who? Who was it?"

Gengan would make the traitor pay for taking away her precious student.

Iori glanced at Nagata, silently prompting him to confess.

"It was...my...my cousin..." Nagata confessed. Immediately, Gengan grabbed him by his coat and shook him.

"How could you let this happen!? HOW!?"

Ryofu, who was nearby, approached to intervene but Nagata stopped her.

"I...trusted her...we all did," Nagata told Gengan.

"Where is she?" Gengan wanted to avenge her student.

"She's locked up until we decide what to do with her."

Gengan released Nagata.

"I want to see Enya."

"I'll take you to her."

There was a tent set up on the castle grounds where Gien's body was kept. A white sheet was draped over her body. Flower-scented candles were lit to mask the stench of decay.

Nagata stood with Gengan as she pulled the sheet away from Gien's face. Her body had been cleaned and she looked like she was asleep.

"She looks so peaceful," Gengan remarked.

"I'm so sorry," Nagata said regretfully as he put a hand on her shoulder. "I never meant for this to happen."

Gengan was silent as she shed tears. Gien was like a daughter to her, and now her daughter was gone.

"I would like to be alone."

All Nagata could offer were his condolences.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Once Nagata left her alone, Gengan started to weep.

* * *

The funeral took place in the evening. Nagata felt that the best way to honor Gien was to cremate her. A funeral pyre was set up in the middle of the village. It was the proper send-off for a warrior who had sacrificed her life.

Gien's body, clad in white robes, was put on the pyre. Everyone was present to pay their respects.

"Tonight we honor one of our own, who sacrificed herself in the line of duty. She was our comrade and our friend. She was selfless, courageous, honorable, and not one to back down from any challenge. Let us forever remember her for all her deeds and never forget our fallen comrade," Nagata spoke.

Nagata, Batai, Gengan, and Ryuubi raised their torches to the pyre and set it on fire. They watched as the fire spread, engulfing the logs being used for the ceremony. The fire would soon engulf Gien, carrying her soul to the afterlife. Hopefully, she would be granted peace.

When the fire died down, Gien's ashes were gathered and put in an urn. The urn was buried and a tombstone planted on the grave.

Gengan left a bottle of wine as an offering to her late student. Nagata put down a plate of his own cooking down as well. Flowers were also placed on the grave by Gien's fellow warriors.

* * *

Batai threw herself onto her bed. Angrily, she buried her face into the pillow and screamed. Her voice came out muffled, but it carried all her anguish.

"Enya..."

Gien was gone.

She still couldn't believe it. But no matter how much Batai wanted to deny it, her best friend was gone. She died with honor by risking her life to protect Ryuubi.

When they first met, they did not get along. They did manage to develop a begrudging respect for each other which later turned into an actual friendship. While Gien wasn't protecting Ryuubi, they would hang out and spar. Sometimes they would just do nothing and talk.

Gien even taught Batai some new moves that allowed the girl to actually beat Bacho during one of their sparring matches.

It just didn't seem possible. Gien survived when the Venom Fists attacked and also survived when Bujin Gaim attacked.

And now it seemed that Gien's luck had run out.

Batai screwed her eyes out, trying to fight the tears threatening to spill out.

"Enya..."

Grief soon gave way to anger which turned into hatred.

She knew who was responsible.

The murderer was locked up in the dungeon.

Getting out of bed, Batai marched with a purpose towards the dungeon.

The dungeon was rarely used. Bandits and criminals that were captured were all locked up in a prison that used to be an abandoned fortress.

Now the castle dungeon was occupied. Sitting in a cell was the dungeon's only occupant, Karasu Oda.

There were guards assigned to the dungeon to watch over Karasu. Nagata made sure these guards wouldn't abuse his cousin.

Batai approached Karasu's cell. The former Shoku Warrior and Armored War Goddess just gazed blankly at her. She looked broken, like a shadow of her former self.

Batai used to admire Karasu. There was some fear there, but only because Karasu could be intimidating. However, Batai still admired the former Armored War Goddess. She was strong and also fearless.

But now things had changed. Karasu's insanity was revealed. She had betrayed them all and killed Gien.

That admiration quickly turned into utter loathing.

"Are you proud of yourself? Are you happy now? You killed my best friend! Enya's dead because of you!" Batai demanded as she yelled at the traitor. Karasu didn't respond as Batai continued screaming at her. "You're lucky these bars are standing between the two of us, you traitor! If not, I'd make you pay for what you've done! For now, you can just _die_ in that cell for all I care!"

"Tanpopo, what are you doing down here?" Kanu asked as she entered the dungeon. The guards immediately stood at attention.

As if triggered by Kanu's voice, Karasu immediately ran up to the bars. She gripped the bars as if trying to pry them apart so she could get to the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter.

"KANU! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOUR DAMN FAULT! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO STEAL HIM FROM ME!? WHY!? I HOPE YOU DIE AND ROT IN HELL! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! HATE YOU! HATE YOOOOOOU!"

Karasu screamed hysterically at Kanu. Her eyes were wild as she continued screaming curses at Kanu. She looked absolutely insane.

Kanu and Batai left the dungeon as Karasu continued to scream at them.

* * *

It was a week since the funeral and winter had finally come. A sheet of white covered Touka Village. Children ran out to play in the snow without a care in the world.

Snowflakes were beautiful. They were each special, but also fragile.

But in the castle, Nagata just wasn't in the mood to enjoy the first day of winter. He had other things on his mind.

Nagata went down to the dungeon to see Karasu with a bowl of hot porridge and a cup of warm tea.

Karasu tried starving herself. She refused to eat anything. Whenever she was served, she would either leave the food to spoil or throw it in the guard's face. When Nagata heard of this, he decided to bring food for her himself. Seeing him managed to coax her into eating so he came here every day to bring Karasu her food and make sure she was not starving.

The guards bowed as they saw Nagata.

"How is she?" Nagata asked.

"The same as always, Gaim-sama."

"She just sits there in the corner, doing nothing."

"Alright, thank you," Nagata said gratefully. He went to the cell and slid the bowl of hot porridge through the space under her cell door. He looked up at Karasu who was still sitting curled up in the corner of her cell.

"Kara-chan, please look at me." She refused to look at him. He let out a sad sigh. "Listen, I'm not giving up on you, Kara-chan. I'm going to help you, but I can only do that if you let me. Please, let me help you."

It broke his heart to see her like this, and he felt guilt from having to lock her up.

Nagata didn't receive an answer. It was the same as always.

"I'll come back again, Kara-chan. Just please, take care of yourself, alright?"

He left the dungeon.

Once he was gone, Karasu crawled over to the bowl he had left for her. She gazed at the porridge as tears welled up in her eyes.

"...Naga-kun..."

* * *

Ryuubi called for a session at the Round Table to decide Karasu's fate. Gengan decided to join the meeting at the Round Table. As Gien was her student, she wanted to have a say in what to do with the traitor.

"Idunn has betrayed us. She also turned Nagata-sama against us," started Ryuubi. She paused as she remembered Gien's death. "She nearly destroyed the village and killed one of our own. There's no telling what else she's done behind our backs."

"Then why don't we ask her? We can question her for vital information, like the location of our enemy's base," Chou'un suggested.

"She won't talk, not to any of us," said Nagata. He tried to talk to her again. She wouldn't respond to him. It was like she was dead inside. It was painful to watch. He could understand why she was like this. He was the one who had her locked up and she was pushed over the edge.

"Then we should send her to Sou Gi. I heard Shibai is good at getting information," Iori proposed.

"We can question her ourselves. I'm not handing her over to anyone else," Nagata responded firmly. He too had heard about Shibai and her method of interrogation. It didn't sound pleasant.

"Nagata, I know she's your cousin and all, but the things she's done can't be forgiven. She betrayed _us_. She betrayed _you_."

"She just needs help."

"Some people are just beyond saving."

"I don't believe that. She's family and I won't give up on her."

"Sometimes family doesn't always have your best interests at heart. Are you just going to keep her locked up for the rest of her life?"

"I'm alright with that," said Batai, raising her hand. "Let her rot in that cell."

"We can't let this news get out, though," said Komei. "If the people of Shoku found out one of our Armored War Gods turned on us, their faith in the Armored War Gods will be broken."

"And because Idunn is Gaim-sama's cousin, they'll question his competence," added Hoto fearfully. "After all, though you were under mind control, Gaim-sama, you're still partially responsible for the damage here."

Nagata couldn't refute her. Despite being under mind control, he had taken part of the attack.

"But it's not Nagata-niichan's fault! She was controlling him!" Chouhi argued.

"The people won't see it that way. They'll see it as Nagata-sama being vulnerable and easily corrupted by dark forces."

A guard suddenly barged into the Round Table Room. He looked absolutely frantic. From how shallow he was breathing, it looked like he ran all the way to find the Shoku Warriors and the Seiryuoh to deliver an urgent message.

"Seiryuoh-sama, generals, we have a problem!" the guard reported, taking a deep breath. He looked like he was on the verge of panic.

Nagata gaped at the guard. After everything that happened, he really was not in the mood for more bad news.

"What is wrong?" Ryuubi asked.

"The villagers have gathered in front of the castle and are demanding answers!"

Nagata's eyes widened when he heard this. The Shoku Warriors were also exchanging looks of worry and disbelief.

* * *

Nagata and the Shoku Warriors gathered at the terrace and looked to see that a crowd had formed at the castle's front gate. The guards formed a blockade to prevent them from forcing their way in.

"KILL THE TRAITOR!"

"BURN HER!"

"HANG HER!"

"OFF WITH HER HEAD!"

"BRING HER OUT! SHE HAS TO PAY!"

The villagers had formed a lynch mob. They were holding signs that also expressed their outrage. In addition, some of them were holding torches and various farming tools threateningly.

"How did this get out?" Nagata wondered. Karasu's identity as the traitor had not gone beyond the Shoku Warriors.

"Somebody must've blabbed," Chou'un concluded.

"Not me!" Chouhi cried defensively. Even she knew how sensitive this information was.

"It was probably one of the guards," Kanu suggested.

"Damn, this is not good," Bacho remarked.

"The crowd is really looking ugly out there. I can't blame them. When an Armored War God goes bad they think we all will," said Chou'un.

"That crowd looks really volatile. Anything can set them off and we'll be stuck trying to control the situation," Iori replied with a scowl.

With Karasu locked up, they were stuck having to clean her mess.

"Nagata-sama still refuses to execute _her_ ," Batai said bitterly as she looked at Nagata.

"We could always poison her food," Iori suggested. "Or we could just starve her."

Everyone silently looked at the Demon Dragon. He seemed more vicious than usual.

"We're not doing any of that," Nagata objected.

"Figures you would show mercy to her," Iori retorted, arms crossed.

Nagata returned Iori's glare with his own. After a moment, he let out a sigh.

He did not want to argue with Iori. Fighting about this was pointless and there was no point of moping around or pitying himself. Things were getting out of hand and he needed to stay strong. They needed a way to handle this without hurting the villagers or letting Karasu come to harm.

One wrong move could cause the villagers to revolt.

It was truly a dreadful dilemma.

"Oh, look. Now they're going to light up an effigy," Chou'un pointed.

Nagata grimaced as he saw that the villagers had made a huge effigy. He watched as they lit it on fire. They loudly cheered as the flames engulfed it.

 _Now_ it was getting out of hand.

"Wow, look at that thing burn," Chouhi admired with wide eyes.

* * *

The village chief sat with Nagata in his office. The man was known to panic when things got bad.

And things really were bad.

After the villagers burnt their effigy, they dispersed once they felt that they felt they got their message across. They made their intention quite clear with the burning effigy.

Komei poured the village chief a cup of tea and the poor man gulped the entire cup down, emptying its contents. Komei filled it again.

"Gaim-sama, as you know, the villagers are demanding answers," said the chief.

"Yes, they want the one responsible for the last attack to be put to death," responded Nagata grimly.

"Please, I need you to tell me that it isn't true. I need to know that the one responsible was not someone in your own ranks," the chief pleaded.

Nagata took a deep breath and sighed. He wanted to deal with this matter privately. However, now that the villagers knew, there was no doubt the news would spread to the rest of the villages and towns within his territory. It could even spread beyond his borders to the other kingdoms.

Lying to the chief was not a good idea, either. The chief needed reassurance but Nagata did not want to lie to him.

Right now, Kanu and the others were questioning the guards to find out who had leaked the story of Karasu's treachery and incarceration. Nagata allowed them to deal with the matter at their own discretion.

Nagata looked to Komei then back at the chief. He needed to tell him the truth while assuaging the man's fears.

"We're currently resolving the situation. You don't have to worry."

"The villagers may not be satisfied with that, Seiryuoh-sama. They would want to see the traitor punished."

They wanted a public execution.

Nagata would not allow that to happen.

"Chief, allow us to handle this situation. We know what we're doing."

The chief had no choice but to trust Nagata's words.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ukitsu received word from his spies in Shoku. The situation there was unstable. Karasu's betrayal had truly incited the people and they were calling out for blood. And Nagata's refusal to execute the traitor was causing the people to doubt him.

Karasu had lost, but she managed to bring political instability upon Shoku. They could use this to their advantage to spread more chaos.

It was the perfect time to strike.

Ukitsu ordered, "Let's begin."

Sadako Ryoma smiled. She was really looking forward to this. For months they've been preparing for this assault and now they had everything ready.

"I'll get things ready," said Sadako.

It was time for Shoku to fall.

* * *

 **Fruits of the Trees, Yggdrasil**

 **Darkness Arms (Gaim-Darkness Version):** This version of the Darkness Arms was used by Nagata when he was under Karasu's control. When using Darkness Arms, Gaim's Ride Wear suit turns black and includes a purple trenchcoat called the **Violet Raiment**. Just like Jam, he uses the Musou Saber and Dark Daidaimaru as his primary weapons. When possessed by Jam, Gaim-Darkness wears the Black Mask on his helmet and he gains her ability to dissolve into a swarm of insects to avoid attacks.

* * *

 **KRC:** This chapter is basically the aftermath of what happened in "Judas". Enya died in the attack and Karasu is locked up. Also, Nagata has lost significant respect from Iori because it was his choices which led to what happened. Nagata has made too many mistakes and now they are suffering the consequences.

I know the lack of sympathy from Kanu and Iori may seem out of character for them, but you have to look at the situation from their perspective. They trusted Nagata, but he didn't trust them. While they do feel sorry that his cousin betrayed them all, they feel hurt and betrayed by him too. Also, Iori has a lot to think about, like his baby that's coming. It will take time to heal this rift. At least Ryuubi showed up and offered some comfort with her presence. However, Nagata pushed her away and decided to sleep with Ryofu instead.

Oh, and my new resolution: I'm not going to bother trying to please everyone. I'll just please myself and the ones that enjoy my story. I will still take criticism, but I'm not obligated to write the story the way you want it to be done.

Oh, and no more omakes here. It just doesn't seem I should post anymore omakes, for now at least.

* * *

Ganryo sighed miserably as she shivered in the cell. The only consolation she had was that she was not suffering alone.

Haru and Ensho sat in a corner, with the former holding her mistress. Ensho was terrified of their ordeal. Fortunately, she had Haru to provide her comfort.

Ensho had cried herself to sleep again. This situation was really taking its toll on her. The only food they got was porridge. It was a far cry from the luxurious meals she was used to. She no longer had access to a bath. They were each given a bucket of water to wash...and relieve themselves.

It was utterly humiliating for Ensho.

Bunshu counted the days by drawing tally marks on the wall. Chokun was quiet. She was devastated by Enjutsu's betrayal.

Ganryo looked up at the ceiling.

Was nobody coming to their rescue?

Were they all going to die here?

If that were the case, then there was nothing she could lose, right?

With that in mind, she looked straight at Haru.

She had made up her mind.

"I'm going to do it."

"What are you doing?" Bunshu asked.

"I'm going to tell him," Ganryo answered.

Bunshu shook her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea, especially not now."

It was not a good time.

"I'm doing it. Don't try to stop me."

"Toshi, no!"

Ganryo ignored Bunshu as she quietly approached Haru.

"Haru-sama."

Haru rubbed his tired eyes.

"Oh, Toshi. What's up? Are you feeling alright?"

"I just wanted to talk to you. How's Reiha-sama?"

"She's asleep. Took a bit to calm her down."

Ganryo noted that Haru looked exhausted. He had stayed awake to keep watch over the others, making sure the guards did not try anything funny. He needed to protect everyone here.

Ganryo bit her lower lip. She looked to Bunshu who caught her gaze.

Bunshu shook her head.

"Haru-sama, there's something I need to get off my chest. It's important."

"What is it, Toshi?"

"Haru-sama, for the longest time, I've been in love with you."

Bunshu palmed her face.

Haru's eyes widened in shock as he went speechless. He had not expected that.

Ganryo decided to just say it. She did not want to make a long speech out of it. She decided to be direct.

"Toshi..."

"I know you love Reiha-sama very much. I did not really approve of her plan to seduce you. But when she began to genuinely fall in love with you, and you also developed feelings for her, I wisely kept my mouth shut. Nevertheless, if we are going to die here, I just wanted you to know how I felt."

Haru and Ganryo stared at each other, with the former completely taken aback by this.

Sarcastic clapping broke the awkward silence and the occupants of the cell looked up to see Sadako standing on the other side.

"That was a very beautiful confession," Sadako said with a sneer.

Haru's eyes narrowed at her. She was the last person he wanted to see right now.

The noise woke Ensho up and she looked to see Sadako sneering at them. She gave the Armored War Devil a challenging glare, but most of her fire was gone. Her time in captivity had put out much of her inner fire.

If she was enduring all this alone, she would've broken down a long time ago.

"What have you done to Miu?" Ensho demanded.

"What makes you think I did anything?" Sadako responded.

"I know my cousin. She might be greedy and self-centered, but she wouldn't go so far as to imprison us," Ensho retorted.

"Then perhaps you don't know her as well as you think you do," Sadako challenged.

"What do you plan to do with us?"

"Oh, I'm not here for you girls," Sadako answered before her gaze went to Haru. "Only _him_."

Haru's glare intensified.

"What do you want, bitch?"

"Just here to let you out," Sadako informed Haru and held up his SengokuDriver.

Haru glanced suspiciously at the offered SengokuDriver then turned his gaze back to Sadako.

"What's the catch?" Haru questioned.

"Well, guess you're not as dumb as you look. It's pretty simple, but I'll use small words so your small brain can understand."

Ganryo's eyes narrowed angrily, offended that someone would insult Haru like that.

"You see, _Knuckle_ , we're going out for a bit and we could use the extra muscle. Yours, in fact."

"And where will we be going?"

"Does Shoku mean anything to you?"

"That's Nagata's kingdom."

"Exactly, and I think you'd be a useful asset when we raze it to the ground."

Haru stood up and glared sharply at Sadako.

"If you think I'm going to attack innocent people and my friends, then you're not as smart as you think."

Sadako clicked her tongue in annoyance but her haughty expression returned.

"Well, then you probably don't care about your cellmates. You're all alive because Enjutsu wants you all alive, but that can change easily enough. I mean, your next meal could be poisoned. Oh, you could refuse to eat, but then you'd just starve to death. And do you think you could protect them forever? You'll have to fall asleep eventually."

Haru grimaced. The lack of sleep made it hard to think clearly. He took short naps, but they did not make up for a full eight hours of sleep his body needed. Starving themselves would just make things harder for them.

But if there was a chance he could protect them, he had to try to do something.

Sadako did not really care if Haru accepted the offer or not. But having him along would be useful. Also, Sadako wanted to punish him more for daring to challenge her.

Haru looked conflicted and looked back at the En Faction. Sadako had leverage and he could not deny that.

The decision he made would be a bad one, but what choice did he have?

"Haru-sama, you needn't listen to her!" Ensho urged.

Ensho would not make it without him. His wife would be eaten alive if he did not do something.

"So, how about it? Will you fight for us, or do you want to see what will happen if you refuse?" Sadako negotiated.

"Can you promise me something?" Haru asked.

Sadako cocked an eyebrow but allowed Haru to make his request.

"Very well."

"If I do this, if I fight for you, promise me that nothing bad will happen to them."

The En Faction was shocked when they heard this and Sadako smiled.

"Fine, I promise that nothing bad will happen to these girls. As long as you fight, and hold nothing back, they'll be spared."

Haru looked back at the En Faction then back at Sadako.

He made up his mind.


	32. The Night Shoku Falls Part 1

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

 **KRC: So, after some thought, I decided to update the last five chapters into volume. I put them together into two chapters of sufficient length; not too long and not too short. Made it a two-parter instead. Hopefully this clears up the confusion.**

* * *

Nagata was in his office with Ryuubi, Kanu, Hoto, and Komei. After his talk with the chief to clear things up, he had called them over to discuss how they were going to deal with Karasu and appease the villagers. The villagers were not going to be satisfied with Karasu being locked up alone. They wanted justice.

However, Nagata adamantly refused to execute Karasu, which the villagers felt was unfair. After all, the girl had betrayed them all and nearly destroyed the village. There were many lost lives that day, including Gien.

Karasu was an Armored War Goddess. She was supposed to be a symbol of hope and justice. And yet, she turned out to be the exact opposite.

And then, somehow, the villagers find out that Nagata brought Kanu back to life. They believed he could bring their dead loved ones back to life.

Unfortunately, he couldn't. He did not know how he did it, so he couldn't help them.

And that caused even more backlash.

Nagata did not know what to do. He couldn't bring himself to execute his own cousin, and he also couldn't let the situation escalate any further.

This was a dilemma.

What was he supposed to do now?

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 21-1: The Night Shoku Falls (Part 1)**

* * *

Ryuubi decided to head down to the dungeon to visit their prisoner. The guards bowed to her when they saw her and she bowed back.

A show of respect was not too much to ask.

Ryuubi stood before the cell.

"Idunn, it's me. It's Ryuubi."

Karasu looked up at her, filled with depression and resentment. There were times when Karasu would not say anything at all. She would just sit quietly in the corner of her cell, hiding in the dark. But, there were times she would talk as well. Unfortunately, she would hurl curses at them, unwilling to share any information. Her words would be full of only venom and spite. Between these periods of erratic behavior, she would become completely unresponsive.

Ryuubi decided to take a chance anyway. Karasu appeared to be lucid and Ryuubi wanted to understand her better.

Fortunately, Ryuubi came on a relatively good day. Karasu was willing to talk.

"So, did you come to gloat? Or are you here to declare your revenge?" Karasu spat accusingly. She already heard about Gien's death.

"None of that," Ryuubi answered. "I've come to talk so I can understand you better."

"Talk? Understand? What is there left to understand? I'm a traitor, right? You've already established that."

"I just want to know why."

"Do you want to know _why_ I did this? Because of love, that's why!"

"Love?"

"Yes, love! And it's not like the shallow love you've shown him! I love him more than you could possibly understand! I would do anything for him! I would live for him! I would kill for him! I would even die for him! Can any one of you show such devotion!?"

"Nagata-sama would not ask us to die for him," said Ryuubi firmly. "But we would gladly lay down our lives for him."

"Shallow, meaningless words," Karasu spat. "To you, he's some kind of god, but once that illusion fades and he reveals himself to be nothing more than a man, you would abandon him at the drop of a hat. But not me! I gave up everything to be reunited with him! I gave up my home! My status! My wealth! What have you given up for him!? What would you throw away for his sake!? Huh!? Tell me!?"

The heiress' eyes were wild and furious, burning with madness. But they were also brimmed with sorrow as Ryuubi saw lines of dried tears on her face.

"It must be hard..." Ryuubi started.

"Huh?"

"You gave up everything to be with him like he gave up everything to be with us. You must really love him."

"Of course! Was there any doubt?"

Ryuubi shook her head.

"No, there was no doubt at all. It's because you love him so much that you could not bring yourself to kill us before."

Karasu gawked at Ryuubi.

"Are you...are you stupid!? I tried to kill you! I nearly killed Kanu! I even killed Gien!"

"No, I can never forget. Enya's gone, but I know she would not want me to on vengeance. She would want me to move on and be happy. She would want me to live my life. You also had every chance to kill us. You could have killed us at any time, but you never did."

"I was merely biding my time."

"I don't believe that. I think deep down you valued our friendship."

"Utter nonsense."

"You also did not want to cause Nagata-sama pain. That's how much you love him. You did not know what to do, so you convinced yourself that you were doing all this for his sake, and that's why you attacked us."

"I attacked you all because I hate you," Karasu hissed.

"But you did care about us before," Ryuubi countered. "All this time, when we fought together, you were our comrade. You weren't just a fellow warrior, but our sister."

Karasu could not believe what she was hearing.

"Shut up..."

"You were part of our family and that what hurts the most. You've given up so much for Nagata-sama, and that includes a family who accepted you, along with his trust."

"Shut up..."

"You can call me selfish, but I love both Nagata-sama and my family so I can never give one up for the other."

Karasu snapped angrily.

"SHUT UP! HE CHOSE YOU OVER ME!"

Ryuubi did not hate Karasu, even though she should. Karasu had killed Gien, her best friend, and bodyguard. Instead, she pitied Karasu.

"Nagata-sama still loves you."

Karasu turned away. She was just too tired now.

"Just leave me alone, Ryuubi Gentoku."

Ryuubi sighed.

"Your life does mean something, Idunn. You just need to find your way. Goodbye, Idunn. Please, take care of yourself"

With those last parting words, Ryuubi left Karasu to her solitude.

As she walked up the stairs, she thought about what Karasu said. She did raise a good question.

What was Ryuubi willing to give up for Nagata?

Once she was left alone, Karasu shed a tear.

She didn't know what else to do or what to believe anymore. She had sacrificed everything to get Nagata's attention, only to lose him in the process.

What was she supposed to do now?

* * *

In an open field, surrounded by armed guards, was a yellow tent. The symbol on the entrance flaps was the En Clan's crest.

Enjutsu was in the tent. She sat on her throne with the Seal of Heaven in her lap.

She was not alone. Sadako Ryoma was with her.

"Why can't I announce myself and give them my ultimatum?" Enjutsu whined. She had prepared a speech and everything.

Sadako pinched the bridge of her nose and took in a deep breath. She told herself to calm down, relax and be patient.

This was why she hated dealing with children. They were just so demanding. When she had kids of her own, she would have a nanny handle them.

Her parents did the same for her and she turned out alright.

"Enjutsu-sama..." Sadako replied, resisting the urge to smack the blonde brat in the mouth, "This is a _surprise_ attack. We want to catch them off guard so they have no time to react properly. That way, we can assure our victory."

"But I want them to know I'm the one trying to conquer them!" complained Enjutsu.

Sadako turned away. She clenched her jaw and sucked in a breath. She told herself not to kill Enjutsu, yet. The blonde was still of use to them.

Sadako put on a sweet smile as she turned to face Enjutsu again.

"Don't you want to see the looks on their faces once they realize who defeated them?" Sadako asked.

Enjutsu contemplated Sadako's words. She had a point. She wanted them to know that she was the one who defeated them. The look of utter surprise on Ensho's face when she betrayed her was still fresh in her mind.

She loved it.

She could not wait to see the same look on the Seiryuoh's face.

"OK, we'll do it your way," Enjutsu approved.

"I'm glad you approve," Sadako accepted.

* * *

It was the middle of the night and most of Touka Village was fast asleep. The guards were on patrol at the front gate and wall of Touka Village. They were ever vigilant and could not afford to be complacent.

The guards were ready for anything. If they ended up in over their heads, they would ring the gongs to alert the generals and Armored War Gods.

The night was cold but peaceful. It was almost comforting, but they couldn't afford to let their guard down.

Danger could come at any moment and anytime.

Suddenly, orange spheres of energy shot out from the darkness. They hit a section of the wall and caused it to explode. The guards scattered from the explosion and the unfortunate ones that were standing on top of the wall were knocked down.

The guards heard battle cries and their eyes widened in horror. They saw a group of Kurokage Troopers coming at them with white scarves around their necks and armed with Kagematsu.

"IT'S A RAID! SOUND THE ALARM!"

* * *

Nagata immediately woke up when he heard the alarm gongs go off. They only went off like that when there was an emergency.

He grabbed his shirt and put it on before he gathered his SengokuDriver and Lockseeds.

It was time for the Shoku Warriors to assemble.

* * *

The villagers were instantly awoken by the gongs and they cried in panic as the Kurokage Troopers attacked them.

It was utter chaos as the Kurokage Troopers attacked. The Kurokage Troopers invaded homes and chased after defenseless villagers.

Houses were set ablaze as the Kurokage Troopers threw torches on them.

A man who was fleeing with his family was speared in the leg and he went down. The Kurokage Trooper withdrew his spear and was ready to finish the job.

 **[SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH!]**

Gaim attacked with his Burai Kick and hit the Kurokage Trooper square in the chest. The Kurokage Trooper took the hit and was sent flying before he exploded. He went down as his armor vanished while his SengokuDriver and Matsubokkuri Lockseed broke.

Gaim went and helped the wounded man up.

"Go! Get to safety!" he instructed. The man's wife and son both helped take him to safety.

A couple of Kurokage Troopers spotted Gaim and attacked, but they were swiftly cut down.

Gaim was not the only one fighting the invaders. The Shoku Warriors came down hard on the Kurokage Troopers. With their armor enhancing them, they had an advantage against the invaders.

Right now, they needed to get the villagers to safety and subdue these invaders.

Suddenly, Gaim took a blow to the face. He recovered from the sucker punch but recoiled in shock as he saw who had hit him.

"HARU!?"

* * *

From a distance, Sadako watched with a gleeful grin as Touka Village was under attack. It was a magnificent sight. Iori had chosen to settle down in this place and Sadako wanted to make him pay for his offense against her. How dare he refuse their engagement?

Standing beside her was Ukitsu.

"The first wave has already started their attack," Sadako informed him.

"I can see that. Good work," Ukitsu approved.

His own army was assembled at the base camp. They were terracotta soldiers. They were all different and were separated into four specialized groups: swordsmen, spearmen, archers, and cavalrymen.

"I'm heading over there," Ukitsu informed her.

"If you see Iori-san, please don't kill him. He and I need to have a _chat._ "

"Don't you worry Ryoma-dono, he's not who I'm here for."

* * *

Gaim froze as he stared at the one who had attacked him. It was someone he knew quite well, as both a trusted friend and ally.

It was Armored War God Knuckle (Jimber Marron Arms).

He did not expect Haru to betray him, but he had not expected his cousin to double-cross him either. Still, this totally came out of left field.

"Haru, what are you doing? Why are you attacking us?"

"I'm sorry, man! I don't have a choice!"

Knuckle swung his fist and Gaim dodged the blow. Knuckle swung again and Gaim barely avoided it. Another swing sent Gaim sprawling.

"What do you mean you don't have a choice? Haru, what's going on!?" Gaim demanded.

Knuckle did not answer as he hit his Cutting Blade.

 _ **[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]**_

The built-in pistons pumped power into his Marron Bombers and he slammed the ground with them. The resulting shockwave sent Gaim tumbling several feet away.

"Ugh!"

Gaim rose to his feet but was kicked in the chest. Angered, Gaim retaliated and slashed Knuckle across the chest.

"Dammit, Haru! Tell me! What's going on!?"

"I...I...AAARRRGGGHHHH!" Knuckle screamed and began throwing a flurry of punches at Gaim. Gaim took the hits before a punch to the jaw floored him.

Gaim groaned as he got up from the ground. This did not make sense. He knew Haru. He would not be part of some invasion. However, expectations failed to line up with reality.

The only thing that made sense was that someone put Knuckle up to this, by force.

Was it Ensho? No, it could not be her. She would not attack them without a reason.

Gaim was going to get his answers somehow.

Knuckle approached Gaim but he was knocked back when Kanu struck him with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade. Ryuubi and Chouhi joined her to defend Gaim.

"Knuckle-dono, what is the meaning of this!?" Kanu demanded.

"I'm sorry, Kanu! But I gotta do this for Reiha-chan!" Knuckle shouted as he threw a punch at her. Kanu blocked the blow with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

"What does Ensho have to do with this?"

"Everything!"

Kanu clenched her jaw.

"Aneue, Rinrin, we need to work together and subdue him!"

Chouhi and Ryuubi obliged.

Kanu threw Knuckle back with a swing of her guandao. She lunged at him and struck him across the chest. He threw a punch at her, but his fist was intercepted by Chouhi who swung her Viper Spear in its path. She pivoted and swung her Viper Spear into Knuckle's midsection, sending him reeling back.

Ryuubi tightened her grip on her sword.

She never imagined she would be fighting an ally.

"Knuckle-dono, are they forcing you to do this?" Ryuubi asked.

Knuckle did not answer as he hit his Cutting Blade.

 _ **[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]**_

His Marron Bombers glowed and exploded, sending spikes flying at the three sisters. Their armor took the brunt of the attack, but they still felt the strikes.

The pistons on Knuckle's gauntlets pumped once before he rushed at them. He aimed for Ryuubi but she blocked his punch with her sword. She was thrown back by the force of the blow and he followed up with another strike. Kanu and Chouhi attacked him from the side and knocked him away from Ryuubi.

Knuckle punched the ground and the pistons pumped again, sending a shockwave that shook the ground, nearly knocking the girls off their feet.

"He's really strong!" Chouhi groaned.

"Indeed, but he's not unbeatable," said Kanu as she eyed his SengokuDriver. "If we remove his belt..."

"He will be powerless," Ryuubi finished, nodding at Kanu.

Kanu focused her Ki into her Green Dragon Crescent Blade as Knuckle charged at them again.

" _BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"_

Kanu sent the flaming ogre head flying at Knuckle. It roared as it struck Knuckle, nearly knocking him down.

" _LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"_

Chouhi swung down and the snake of lightning descended, striking Knuckle on the spot. He screamed as he was electrocuted. His armor showed damage with scorch marks and smoke rising from him.

He fell to his knees.

But he was not beaten yet.

He remembered what he was fighting for and why he could not afford to lose.

He rose back to his feet and pounded his fists together.

"DON'T HOLD BACK IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT SOMETHING!" Knuckle roared.

Knuckle threw his punch but Ryuubi sidestepped and slashed him across the chest. She knocked him back with a thrust and followed up with a series of slashes that sent him staggering. Kanu sped towards him and struck him violently across the chest and Chouhi sent him tumbling with a jab of her Viper Spear.

Ryuubi raised her Dragon Claw Sword as Chouhi and Kanu crossed their spears with the blade of her weapon. Their weapons glowed as a blue, green and red aura surrounded their bodies.

" _TRINITY ATTACK!"_

They fired the attack at Knuckle and he screamed as explosions erupted around him before an explosion engulfed him. When the smoke and fire cleared, Haru laid face down, his armor gone and his body injured.

Gaim was stunned. Just what was going on?

* * *

Ukitsu closed the _Crucial Keys_ and smiled.

"Alright, time to send in the second wave," Ukitsu decided.

He snapped his fingers. The eyes of the terracotta soldiers lit up with a purple light as they came to life.

The Shoku Warriors would not know what hit them.

* * *

Gaim knelt down and helped Haru up.

"Haru, what's going on?" Gaim asked.

Haru groaned, both from fatigue and injury. After taking such a heavy blow, he could barely stand on his own two feet.

"Nagata...you have to go..."

Gaim was confused.

"Go? Go where?"

"You gotta go save your cousin."

"Wait, Kara-chan? What do you mean? Save her from what? Is she in danger?"

"It's Ukitsu. He mentioned tying up loose ends."

Gaim's eyes widened.

Ukitsu was going after Karasu.

He turned to Kanu, Ryuubi, and Chouhi.

"Take care of the rest of the Kurokage Troopers. I have to get back to the castle," Gaim ordered.

Ryugen stood in his way.

"Hold on, Nagata. Where do you think you're going?"

"I gotta head back to the dungeon."

Ryugen's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You're going to let _her_ out, aren't you?"

Gaim did not have time for this.

"Damn it, Iori. Let me go. I need to save her."

"It could be a trap."

"I know, but I have to make sure she's OK."

Ryugen became vexed. Clearly, he was displeased by his friend's decision.

"I don't believe it. After everything she's done to us, you still want to save her."

"I do. Maybe I can even convince her to help."

"You're letting your feelings cloud your judgment right now. Have you forgotten how she's betrayed us? Have you forgotten how she killed Enya?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten! I know what she did is unforgivable! But...even so...I can't abandon her right now! Now let me through!"

"So you're just going to choose her over us," Ryugen accused.

"It's not like that," Gaim protested.

Ryugen crossed his arms, maintaining his glare.

"You're making a mistake."

Gaim paused for a moment.

Was it a mistake to let Karasu out after everything she had done?

It was too early to decide. Nevertheless, he could not afford to let a single soul to be slain here tonight.

"I'll be back."

Ryugen said nothing in response as he let Gaim past. He had made up his mind.

As Gaim headed for the castle, Kanu stood in his way. Hopefully, she could talk some sense into him.

"Aisha, please step aside," Gaim requested.

"Nagata-sama, tell me. Are you sure you're doing the right thing here?" she asked.

He remembered how she had spoken to him about standing beside each other. She swore she would stand by him, no matter what. Now she needed to know that he would stand by her.

"Aisha, I'm sorry. But Kara-chan needs me. I can't turn my back on her."

"But she's a traitor," she reminded.

"You're right, she is a traitor, but she's still family and I refuse to abandon her." He held her hands and looked her in the eye. "Please, Aisha. You need to trust me."

Kanu said nothing as she looked into his orange visor.

She then let out a sigh. This was the person she had come to accept into her heart. He would not turn his back on his loved ones without a good reason.

"Then go. Do what you feel is right."

Gaim smiled, relieved.

"Thank you. I promise I'll be back."

As Gaim returned to the castle, Kanu returned her attention to the Kurokage Troopers and resumed her attack on them with the others.

* * *

Karasu sat in her cell. She heard a commotion and carefully approached the bars of her cell to see what was happening.

She watched as the guards fell due to an invisible force. When she saw Ukitsu enter the dungeon, her eyes widened.

Ukitsu turned his gaze towards Karasu who was sitting in her cell. In his hand was the **Crucial Keys to the Way of Peace** , a cursed tome that drew power from anger, hatred, and resentment. It had once been used to manipulate the Chou Sisters.

The malevolent aura surrounding it was as clear as day.

Using his magic, Ukitsu casually unlocked the cell door and opened it.

Karasu looked up to meet Ukitsu's gaze, wondering why he was here.

Could he be here to break her out?

"You truly are a pathetic sight," Ukitsu sneered.

"So, are you here to break me out?" Karasu asked. Once he freed her, she could formulate a new plan to get Nagata back on her side. He had confiscated her SengokuDriver, but she knew where he would hide it. It would not be hard to find it.

Ukitsu gave Karasu a look of contempt.

"Why would I want to break out a failure like you?" Ukitsu asked, shocking Karasu.

"But...but you promised that...as long as I helped you, you will be able to send me back with Naga-kun," Karasu shakily responded.

"I did, but only if you succeeded in destroying Shoku. I even gave you power assure its destruction, but you still failed. You were defeated and now you're locked up."

"But I could try again!" Karasu insisted.

"There would be no point to it. Besides, your cousin gave up his chance to return to his world. Not even I have the power to send him back anymore," Ukitsu replied, shocking her.

"Then...then all of this...was for _nothing_!?" Karasu shouted.

The realization hit her hard.

Ukitsu had been using her this whole time.

He gave her only empty promises and she had fallen for his deception hook, line and sinker.

"On the contrary. I wanted to hurt Nagata Oda in the worst possible way. You made sure of that with your betrayal. Now, I can hurt him even more by ending _your_ life." Ukitsu smiled wickedly as dark energy gathered in his hand. "Goodbye, Karasu Oda. At least you can die knowing that your life was taken for a greater purpose."

Karasu froze as she realized that Ukitsu was here to tie up loose ends. There was nowhere for her to run. She was trapped.

She closed her eyes to accept her fate. This was what she deserved.

' _Naga-kun...I'm sorry...'_

A gunshot was heard as a bullet flew by Ukitsu's head. It whipped past his hair before burying itself in the wall of the cell.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY COUSIN!"

Gaim barged right into the dungeon brandishing his swords. He had given Ukitsu a warning shot to get his attention.

"You..." Ukitsu glowered as he put away the Crucial Keys. He composed himself so he could greet Gaim politely. "I'm surprised to see you down here, Gaim-dono."

"Someone told me you'd be here," said Gaim. After what Haru told him, he had rushed over to prevent Ukitsu from hurting Karasu. Along the way, he fought Kurokage Troopers that tried to hinder him.

He was forced to cut them down.

Karasu was relieved to see her beloved cousin.

"Naga-kun..."

Though she could not see under his mask, Gaim was giving her a warm, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Kara-chan. I'm not letting him hurt you."

Comprehension dawned on Ukitsu.

"I see. So you came to protect her. Why bother? She's just a filthy traitor."

"Everyone in this village is under my protection. That includes her," Gaim defended.

Karasu's eyes widened in surprise. Even after everything she had done, he still cared about her.

Ukitsu rolled his eyes and scoffed at such sentimental nonsense.

"What's your plan, Ukitsu? What are you after this time?" Gaim questioned.

"Just making arrangements for a new world order," Ukitsu claimed.

"What new world order? Where all the kingdoms are destroyed while you all stand on top of the corpses and ruins?" Gaim accused.

"Do you really think I want to destroy this world?" Ukitsu asked.

"It's the only conclusion I can come up with. When everything is destroyed, you can rebuild it in your own image. You even allied yourself with the RinJyuKen Akugata to make it happen," Gaim answered.

"Ah, yes. Those undead monsters. I only joined them because we have a common enemy: _you_. Once you and your fellow Armored War Gods are destroyed, our alliance will be dissolved and I can pursue my plans for this world."

"Too bad for you that I'm going to stop you right here, Ukitsu," Gaim vowed.

Ukitsu sighed as he put on his GenesisDriver. Instead of his usual Lemon Energy Lockseed, Ukitsu held up the Dragon Fruit Energy Lockseed.

"That's Sasuke's!" exclaimed Gaim as he recognized the Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[DRAGON FRUIT ENERGY!]**_

"Henshin," called Ukitsu as he loaded the Dragon Fruit Energy Lockseed into his GenesisDriver and pushed the Seaboll Compressor.

Gaim swiftly attached his Genesis Core to his SengokuDriver and unlocked his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.

 _ **[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]**_

 _ **[LOCK ON! SODA! DRAGON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

Duke's Dragon Energy Arms was almost identical to Tyrant's. The right shoulder pad was much larger than the left, and it had a white stone embedded in it. Duke also gained a hexagonal badge that was mounted on his helmet. His personal emblem was on the left side of the chestplate.

 _ **[LOCK ON! MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!]**_

Once transformed, the two clashed immediately. Gaim dragged Duke away to fight elsewhere.

Once outside the castle, Duke and Gaim's battle could truly begin.

"Naga-kun!" Karasu cried as she watched them make their exit, leaving her all alone in a cold and dark dungeon.

She could do nothing but pray for Nagata's victory.

* * *

While Gaim confronted Duke, the Shoku Warriors were dealing with the Kurokage Troopers. Despite their greater numbers, the Kurokage Troopers were no match for the more skilled and organized Shoku Warriors.

All of a sudden, a rain of arrows came down on the Shoku Warriors. The Shoku Warriors deflected the sharp, steel-tipped arrows, sending them scattering. Some of the arrows managed to land on target, but their armor protected them.

The arrows were merely a prelude of what was to come next.

After the arrows, an army stormed the village. Reinforcements had come for the Kurokage Troopers. To the Shoku Warriors' surprise, the army consisted of living statues, armed with swords and spears.

The Shoku Warriors engaged them, and a fierce battle ensued.

Surrounding the village walls were terracotta archers that were prepared to fire another volley. This time, their arrows were on fire.

The archers let loose the flaming arrows and set the buildings on fire.

Villagers screamed in panic when this happened.

This was insane!

This was madness!

"EVACUATE THE VILLAGERS! GET THEM TO SAFETY!"

Ryugen grimaced.

Where was Nagata when they needed him?

* * *

As the Shoku Warriors dealt with the enemy reinforcements, Gaim and Duke were in the courtyard and furiously engaged in combat.

Sparks erupted as Duke and Gaim clashed violently with their Sonic Arrows. When they broke apart, Duke attempted to fire at him but Gaim took the chance to pin him to the wall.

Duke shoved him back and slashed him across the chest. Gaim retaliated with his Sonic Arrow and then took aim. However, Duke kicked the weapon out of Gaim's grip and shot several energy bolts at Gaim, causing him to backpedal.

Duke then dashed towards Gaim. He slashed him repeatedly with his Sonic Arrow, causing sparks to explode from the Jimber Grapefruit Arms armor.

Duke aimed for Gaim's head but he drew his Musou Saber and shot several rounds at Duke, causing him to misfire. Getting back to his feet, Gaim charged at Duke to slash him in the chest but he was parried by the Sonic Arrow.

Gaim shouted as he punched Duke in the stomach. He then landed another punch to his face, sending him staggering. He then thrust his sword, sending Duke sprawling.

"Hah, so you've stopped holding back," Duke chuckled. "Good, it's time I stopped holding back myself." His visor glowed along with his armor also as he rose to his feet. He dashed towards Gaim and slashed with his Sonic Arrow, causing a huge burst of sparks on impact.

Gaim's eyes widened in shock and pain as he was hit. Duke followed up the slash with an uppercut, sending Gaim sprawling.

"Surprised? The RinJyuKen were kind enough to help us unlock our full potential," Duke boasted.

"Oh, will you just shut up!" Gaim shouted as he got back up and slashed at Duke, only for his opponent to vanish from sight. "Huh?"

He screamed as he was blasted in the back and knocked to the ground.

Duke reappeared and shouldered his Sonic Arrow.

"I also discovered some other useful abilities," Duke smirked.

Gaim growled and got back up as Duke turned invisible again. Gaim's eyes narrowed as his visor glowed and he activated his optical enhancements. If his opponent was invisible, then the best way to find him was through his body heat.

He scanned his surroundings and saw Duke coming at him. Swiftly, Gaim swung his Musou Saber and slashed Duke across the chest, sending him backpedaling in surprise. Gaim then thrust forward, knocking Duke back and forcing him to reveal himself again.

"I almost forgot. You have an enhancement as well," Duke frowned.

"That's right," Gaim smirked as he tapped his visor with his blade before he re-engaged Duke. Duke might have enhanced strength, but Gaim's own skills enabled him to fight toe to toe with his augmented opponent.

Duke blocked the strike and slashed Gaim across the chest before he ran backward to gain some distance. His visor glowed as he took out a set of talismans. He chanted a spell and threw them at the Blue King.

The talismans surrounded Gaim and their writings glowed purple. Ropes of energy shot out of the talismans and wrapped around Gaim, bindings his arms to his sides.

 _ **[DRAGON FRUIT ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

Duke conjured five clones of himself which took turns attacking Gaim before they vanished. Meanwhile, Duke aimed his Sonic Arrow and pulled the shaft, stretching the string to its limit. Finally, he fired his Sonic Arrow, sending a charged energy bolt straight into Gaim's chest.

The energy ropes dissolved as Gaim's armor flashed and he reverted back to his default Orange Arms. Duke strutted towards Gaim and then kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling.

"Tell me, Gaim-dono. Why do you continue to oppose us?" Duke asked.

"Because you seek to harm innocent people," Gaim claimed. "Also, for what you've done to Kara-chan."

"You're the one who locked away your only blood relative in this world, and you dare say I'm the one at fault here?"

"You manipulated her and drove her mad."

"She was already mad from the start. You were just too blind to see it."

Angrily, Gaim took out the Kachidoki Lockseed and activated it.

 **[KACHIDOKI!]**

The Kachidoki Armor Part dropped from its portal and drove Duke back.

 **[LOCK ON! SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS!]**

The Kachidoki Arms Armor Part landed on Gaim. It quickly disassembled and folded onto his body, forming his armor.

 **[IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]**

Gaim drew the Kachidoki Bata from his back and jabbed Duke with the Kachidoki Bata, pushing him back. Duke shot at Gaim but he twirled the Kachidoki Bata, deflecting the energy bolts. Duke charged at Gaim but the King of Shoku blocked Duke's attack by crossing his Kachidoki Bata. He then shoved Duke back and dropped the Kachidoki Bata to draw out his DJ Gun.

He fired a shot that sent Duke tumbling painfully while disarming him at the same time.

"It's over, Ukitsu! You can't beat me!" shouted Gaim as he leveled his DJ Gun at Duke.

Duke picked himself up. He considered the gap of power. Even with Dragon Energy Arms, Gaim's Kachidoki Arms still beat him.

"Perhaps you're right. Perhaps _I_ can't beat you, but maybe _they_ can."

Gaim was perplexed by Duke's declaration.

"What are you talking about?"

Duke held up four Lockseeds.

"Allow me to show you."

He activated them, one-by-one.

 **[BLACK BARON!]**

 **[JAM!]**

 **[BUJIN GAIM!]**

 **[RYUGEN-YOMI!]**

Duke tossed the unlocked Lockseeds as darkness burst out from them and formed into four humanoid figures:

 **Black Baron.**

 **Jam.**

 **Bujin Gaim.**

 **And Ryugen-Yomi.**

Gaim's eyes widened in shock as he saw them appear.

"...How?"

"I used the remains of their Lockseeds. It was really quite simple, really."

"So they're just puppets," Gaim deduced.

"Yes, and quite capable of following orders. For example: destroy Gaim," Duke ordered.

Ryugen-Yomi summoned the Yomiyari and rushed at Gaim. He was followed by Jam, Black Baron and Bujin Gaim who came at Gaim with their own weapons. Gaim fired at the charging Puppet Riders, but they avoided his shots as they closed in on him. Ryugen-Yomi reached him first and disarmed him, throwing the DJ Gun to the ground. This was followed by Black Baron who hit him in the chest with the Black Banaspear.

Jam kicked him in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Gaim rolled out of the way as Bujin Gaim brought his swords down on him.

Jam forced Gaim back to his feet, allowing Ryugen-Yomi to strike him in the chest with his Yomiyari. Black Baron also joined in, and the two of them repeatedly landed blows upon Gaim's body. Bujin Gaim also struck, attacking Gaim from behind with his swords.

Duke hung back and watched as his Puppet Riders overpowered Gaim. It was truly a sight to behold. Even with his Kachidoki Arms, Gaim was being overwhelmed by their combined power.

Suddenly, a burst of air blew the four Puppet Riders away.

Duke cocked an eyebrow curiously when he saw this.

"I'm not going to fall here!" Gaim shouted as he took out the Ryujin Key.

 **[RYUJIN!]**

Gaim slotted in the Ryujin Key and gave it a twist.

 **[LOCK OPEN! RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]**

His Kachidoki Arms burst to pieces and the components flew in all directions, hitting the four Puppet Riders, knocking them back.

 **[RYUJINMARU! NOBUNAGUN!]**

The Ryujinmaru appeared in Ryujin Gaim's right hand while the Nobunagun occupied his left hand.

Ryugen-Yomi recovered quickly and hit the Cutting Blade of his SengokuDriver.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

Ryugen-Yomi trained his Budou Ryuhou at Ryujin Gaim and fired.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim deflected Ryugen-Yomi's Dragon Shot with the Ryujinmaru and returned fired with the Nobunagun.

" _DAI RYUJIN BAKUDAN!_ "

The charged up shotgun blast from the rifle hit Ryugen-Yomi dead center in the chest and obliterated the Puppet Rider.

 **[COME ON! RED BANANA AU LAIT!]**

A cage made up of giant energy red bananas burst out of the ground and encased Ryujin Gaim.

Black Baron pulled his Black Banaspear out of the ground and leaped to execute the Cavaliend Rider Kick.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim shattered the trap with a swing of his Ryujinmaru, the energized blade shining proudly.

" _DAI RYUJIN_ _SPEAR!"_

The bayonet of his Nobunagun pointed forward and he thrust the weapon at Black Baron. The energy surrounding the bayonet extended into a blade that pierced Black Baron's chest, exploding him.

 **[DARKNESS AU LAIT!]**

A large dark apple made of energy flew towards Ryujin Gaim.

Ryujin Gaim countered her attack.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN REAPER ZAN!"_

His Nobunagun turned into its Sickle Mode as he swung it in a vertical swipe followed by the Ryujinmaru which he swung horizontally. The energy slashes neutralized her attack and kept going until they hit the Puppet Rider, destroying her.

Bujin Gaim was the last one. The Puppet Rider tried to attack, but he was quickly disarmed. Ryujin Gaim slashed him repeatedly before driving him back with a thrust of his Ryujinmaru.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN ZAN!"_

Bujin Gaim exploded from the violent slash.

Once the Puppet Riders were destroyed, Ryujin Gaim pointed his Ryujinmaru threateningly at Duke.

"We're finishing this, here and now."

Instead of being intimidated, Duke applauded him.

"What an impressive show of might, but that is to be expected. The miraculous power of the Seal of Heaven is truly a remarkable thing. It has made you an Armored War God among Armored War Gods. There is certainly no way anyone can match you now, especially me."

Ryujin Gaim cocked an eyebrow in confusion. He did not expect Duke to react this way.

What's he up to?

Duke continued, "With that kind of power, you could change the world. Why settle for a kingdom when you could have the entire nation? Why stop there? Why not claim the entire world and become a real God Emperor?"

"God...Emperor...?"

"Indeed. You can become the omnipotent ruler of the world. You have the power. Use it and claim the world as your own. Then the peace you desire will be in your grasp."

Ryujin Gaim shook his head.

He could not let Duke sway him with his words.

"Shut up! There's no way I would do something like that!" Ryujin Gaim snapped.

"Wouldn't you? You have the power to enforce peace as you see fit," Duke pointed out.

"What you're talking about is ruling through fear!"

"Of course! Fear makes people more compliant! The weak fear the strong, but also want to be led by them! Only the strong have the right to rule the world and you, my friend, are truly strong! Even if both your power and might inspires fear and hatred, you have the power to crush such opposition!"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm just giving you the facts. You're powerful, but deep down you're weak. But that can change if you just embrace that power like Chojo."

"She turned into a monster."

"Indeed, and that could happen to you too."

"What...?"

"Yes, the power of the Seal of Heaven made her into a monster. There's no doubt that it's made you into a monster too."

"That's nonsense! I'm not a monster!"

"Aren't you? How many people have you killed? How many people have died because of you? Like it or not, your hands are stained with blood. You're a monster already. You're just wrapped up in a pretty package."

"Shut up! There's no way! There's no way I'll become a monster!"

"So, one day you won't just decide to use that power to bring peace by destroying everything that will threaten it? Won't you use that power to force people to follow your rules? I can sense it, Gaim-dono. You're tired of this life of endless death and conflict. You don't want another war so you'll decide to make sure nobody dares to start one. With your power, you can create true peace. All it will take is for you to throw away your humanity and ascend to godhood."

Ryujin Gaim did not want to admit it, but what if Duke was right? What if he could bring peace?

With such power, Ryujin Gaim could end all war and conflict. Wasn't that what Kanu wanted? She called him the Messenger of Heaven. He was meant to bring peace to the land. Maybe the power of the Seal of Heaven could help him do it.

He was sick and tired of all the fighting.

He just wanted it to stop.

Maybe the way to do it was to conquer everything and stop all the chaos and conflict through force.

Peace...through tyranny...

Wait, what was he thinking?!

He could never force people to follow his rule!

He could never make them obey him through fear!

It wouldn't be right!

What kind of peace would it be without free will?

What kind of peace would it be if they had to live in fear because of him?

"So, how about it, Gaim-dono? Why not end all the senseless death and violence? All you have to do is embrace your true power," Duke offered.

Ryujin Gaim took a deep breath and met Duke's gaze with his own.

"Ruling through fear? Do you _really_ think I would ever do that?" Ryujin Gaim responded.

Duke sighed in disappointment.

"Look like you're content with how the world is right now."

"No, I'm not. You're right. I am sick and tired of all the death and violence. But I won't do things the easy way. It will set a bad example. That is why I will keep fighting for peace. It will be hard, and difficult, but the path to peace is always full of obstacles. And if I succeed, nobody will have to live in fear of anything ever again."

"Well, if it's a fight you want, allow me to provide you with a better opponent."

"More puppets?"

Gaim was ready for anything Duke threw at him.

"No, just an _old friend_."

A Helheim portal zipped open beside Duke and a young man stepped out. Ryujin Gaim looked eyes widened in shock and recognition when he saw the newcomer.

"No way. It can't be..."

"Hello, Nagata," the young man said with a dangerous smirk. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Taiga...Shiba..."

 **To Be Continued in Part 2**


	33. The Night Shoku Falls Part 2

**We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.**

* * *

When Kaku heard the noises that were coming from outside, she knew they needed to get someplace safe.

"Come on," Kaku said as she took Riri's hand. "We need to get someplace safe."

"Where?" Riri asked.

"The basement. We should be able to avoid danger if we hide down there."

Kaku knew she had to keep Kochu and Iori's daughter safe. On occasion, the couple would ask her to babysit and she had grown fond of the little girl.

She also feared the wrath of Riri's parents if anything were to happen to their little girl.

Riri did not protest as Kaku took her down to the basement with her. The two of them were soon joined by Chinkyuu, Hoto, and Suikyo who had the same idea. They also shared the space with Chinkyuu and Ryofu's pets.

They would hide in the basement until the crisis was over.

* * *

 **Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods**

 **Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin**

 **Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92**

 **Chapter 21-2: The Night Shoku Falls (Part 2)**

* * *

Karasu remained in her cell. The door was open but she decided not to leave.

What was the point?

Even if she escaped, where could she go?

"Are you just going to stay here?" Chosen asked as he mysteriously appeared. Karasu did not seem surprised to see him.

"Everyone believed in me, they trusted me. And how do I repay them? I brainwashed my cousin and killed one of their own," Karasu murmured. "I'm such a fool."

"True, you were a fool, and you've done terrible things, but Nagata thinks you're worth protecting. Perhaps he wants to give you a second chance."

"A second chance? Me?"

Did she even deserve a second chance?

"It's not too late to start over. You can still change. Right now, he's putting his life on the line not just for you, but for everything he wants to protect. You can still help him."

"But how can I help? I don't have any weapons."

Nagata had taken her SengokuDriver and her Darkness Lockseed was gone. Her sword was also taken from her.

Chosen presented her with her SengokuDriver and a new Ringo Lockseed.

Karasu's eyes widened in surprise when she saw them.

"How...?"

"Take these and this time, use them to do the right thing," Chosen instructed.

Karasu gazed at the items before narrowing her eyes in determination.

It was time for her to make things right.

* * *

"Taiga...Shiba..."

Taiga Shiba had midnight black hair that was cut short and slicked back with a fringe hanging over his right eye. His attire consisted of a black gakuran jacket, worn open to reveal a red T-shirt with a black dragon on it. He also wore black jeans with red scale patterns on the side. On his feet, he wore red sneakers.

Ryujin Gaim couldn't see Taiga's eyes as they were concealed by a pair of sunglasses. It was an impractical accessory since it was nighttime.

Nagata once tried sunglasses at night and could barely see through them.

"Taiga, what are you doing here?" Ryujin Gaim asked and turned to Duke. "Did _you_ bring him here?"

Duke kept silent.

"I heard you've been doing well for yourself, Nagata," said Taiga. "Look at you. A kingdom of your own, everyone knows your name, and you even had your own harem of beautiful warrior women who are ready and willing to fight for you and pleasure you at the drop of a hat. Must be nice to have everything you want to fall just so conveniently in your lap. And yet...now it's all going down to Hell."

"Taiga, why are you here?" Ryujin Gaim asked.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing. When you just vanished one day-yes I watch the news-I just couldn't believe it. You used to talk about becoming a _Kamen Rider_ when we were kids, remember? I told you it was just a fantasy, a foolish dream. And yet, somehow, it came true. Just like everything in your life, everything just goes your way. Like the world bends over backward just for you."

Taiga's calm tone shifted to an angry one.

"And that just pissed me off! Right after you destroyed my dream, you manage to make your own dreams come true! How is that fair?"

"Taiga, you know what happened that day was not my fault-"

"Save it, Nagata!" Taiga snapped angrily, cutting Ryujin Gaim off. "You ruined my life and now you're going to pay! I'm going to crush your dreams!"

Taiga reached into his jacket and pulled out a SengokuDriver of his own, surprising Ryujin Gaim. He placed it on his waist and the belt materialized, securing the device. The Rider Indicator flashed, showing the profile of a Rider's face.

He then took out his Lockseed. It looked like the one Duke had used to summon the Bujin Gaim puppet, but only more authentic. Ryujin Gaim could sense a very familiar taint of darkness coming from the Lockseed, even before it was activated.

"Henshin," Taiga announced as he unlocked the Lockseed.

 **[BUJIN GAIM!]**

A dark portal opened up and the Bujin Gaim Armor Part descended. It looked like Bujin Gaim's head with a dark aura surrounding it like black flames.

"Taiga, no!" Ryujin Gaim objected, but he was too late.

Taiga ignored Ryujin Gaim's warning and swiftly loaded the Lockseed into his SengokuDriver.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

And then he sliced it open with the Cutting Blade. The core image was of his SengokuDriver with the Blood Orange Lockseed. The lid's backside displayed the Blood Orange Lockseed on its own.

When the Lockseed opened, a dark guitar riff came out.

 **[BUJIN GAIM ARMS!]**

The Armor Part descended and dropped on Taiga's head. Dark energy wrapped around Taiga's body, forming a black Ride Wear suit with red bands and greaves around the wrists and shins. The Armor Part disassembled as the top folded onto his back and the sides folded to become shoulder armor. The front folded onto Taiga's chest, forming the chestpiece with the familiar blood red coloring and black tribal flame patterns.

 **[CHI NO MUSHA ON THE DARK PATH!]***

 **(*Translation: Warrior of Blood on the Dark Path)**

The helmet was a dead ringer for Gaim's own in his default form, but it was black with a red headpiece. The crest was blood red and the visor was blood red as well due to the Arms. The faceplate which covered Taiga's mouth had razor sharp, shark-like teeth sculpted into the space between the 'upper jaw' and 'chin strap'.

He looked like a demonic version of Kamen Rider Gaim.

In this form, Taiga was known as Majin Gaim.

"Armored War Devil **Majin Gaim**...Kenzan."

"Taiga..." Ryujin Gaim murmured, shocked by this unexpected transformation. Just the sight of Taiga in that armor brought back bad memories of when Bujin Gaim menaced them.

His fists clenched as they trembled.

Duke smiled in approval.

"Taiga-dono, it looks like you can handle this yourself. I'll leave the rest to you."

"You're right," Majin Gaim replied as he summoned his Blood Daidaimaru. "Leave _all_ the rest to me."

In a move that shocked both Duke and Ryujin Gaim, Majin Gaim suddenly slashed Duke across the chest. Sparks blasted off him as the leader of the Armored War Devils was suddenly assaulted by his own comrade.

Duke staggered back, surprised. Ryujin Gaim stood frozen, shocked and confused by this development.

"Taiga-dono, what is the meaning of this!?" Duke demanded.

"My _partner_ has not forgotten about what you tried to do the last time, Ukitsu," Majin Gaim said cryptically.

"Your 'partner'?" Duke repeated, confused for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. "Wait, you don't mean _him_!?"

"That's right," Majin Gaim confirmed. "And he tells me it's time for payback."

Duke gritted his teeth. He should've seen this coming. Fortunately, he was prepared for such a situation. He took out the Taowu Lockseed. With its power, he could punish Taiga for double-crossing him.

Before Duke could activate it, Majin Gaim drew his Musou Saber. In a flash, he cut Duke's hand right off. It fell to the ground, along with the Lockseed that was clutched in its fingers.

"AAAARRRGGGHHHHH!" Duke screamed as he cradled the stump as blood gushed out of it. Ryujin Gaim recoiled at the ruthless move.

"It's time for you to realize your place in the world, Ukitsu. You're just a relic of the past. It's time you left things to the new generation," Majin Gaim said as he hit his Cutting Blade twice.

 **[BUJIN GAIM AU LAIT!]**

Majin Gaim delivered a series of lightning quick slashes which hit Duke repeatedly. Duke staggered from the attack, his armor crackling and sparking all over the place.

"YOU...YOU DOUBLE-CROSSING BASTARD! I WAS GOING TO CHANGE THE WOOOOOOORRRLLLLDDDD!" Duke screamed as he exploded.

His damaged GenesisDriver clattered to the ground, with the Crucial Keys falling on top of it.

"Well, that takes care of _that_ ," said Majin Gaim. He picked up the Crucial Keys and Taowu Lockseed that Ukitsu dropped. He did have to pry the fingers of Duke's dismembered hand off the Lockseed first.

He didn't pay the GenesisDriver any mind, however. As far as he was concerned, it was garbage.

Ryujin Gaim was horrified as he witnessed Majin Gaim casually murder Ukitsu.

"Taiga, he was your comrade!"

"Yes, he _was_ , but he was just in our way. But why do you care? He was your enemy, wasn't he?"

Such a blatant act of betrayal was unforgivable in Nagata's eyes. However, it was Taiga's casual dismissal of the action that infuriated him.

"It's time we settled things right here and now, Nagata," challenged Majin Gaim.

"Taiga, I don't have time for this. Now get out of my way."

"If you want to leave, then you'll have to go through _me_."

Taiga was a stubborn and hardheaded person. Persuading him to change his mind was a challenge. Even Tsukahara-sensei failed to change him for the better. He was just too set in his ways.

Ryujin Gaim could speed past Majin Gaim, but what would stop him from going after his friends?

And what about Karasu? If he left Majin Gaim, then he could just as easily find Karasu in the dungeon. She was vulnerable right now.

He knew Majin Gaim was not going to back down from a fight, especially a challenge he issued personally. There was no swaying him, so Ryujin Gaim had no choice but to oblige.

Once this was over, he could return to help the others.

"Just don't expect me to hold back, Taiga."

"Oh, I know you won't, Nagata. You would _never_ disappoint _me_. But first, how about you allow me to even things up?"

Majin Gaim took out a Lockseed that filled Ryujin Gaim with a familiar feeling of dread. It was similar to the one his cousin had used before.

It was a black demonic eyeball clutched in a set of claws.

Majin Gaim unlocked it. This caused a dark portal to appear above him.

 **[TAOTIE!]**

He loaded the Taotie Lockseed into his SengokuDriver.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

A toxic aura enveloped Majin Gaim. He hit the Cutting Blade, exposing the Lockseed's core. The core image was the visage of a demonic ram with the RinJyuKen's inverted triangle emblem displayed on the lid's backside.

 **[TAOTIE ARMS!]**

The armor that formed resembled Bujin Gaim's Conquest Arms Armor, but with minor differences. First, his helmet had ram-like horns mounted on both sides. The shoulder pads sported numerous spikes on them. His chestpiece was a snarling demonic face that was framed by black wool with ram-like horns that curved over his shoulders. A wooly black cloak with a hood hung from his back. The same wool covered his shins and forearms which had spikes sticking from them.

This was **Majin Gaim Taotie Arms**.

Majin Gaim drew out the Blood Drake Tail Sword. Ryujin Gaim recognized the sword but chalked it up as a benefit of Majin Gaim possessing Bujin Gaim's Lockseed.

Putting away his Nobunagun, Ryujin Gaim held his Ryujinmaru in a two-handed grip. Majin Gaim firmly held his own blade, his eyes never leaving his opponent.

Many strategies rapidly ran through their minds as their hearts beat quickly in their chests.

These were two people who knew each other from the past, but their paths went in two different directions, only to converge here and now.

Was it fate?

In what felt like hours, the two finally made their move.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"HI-YAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Letting out simultaneous battle cries, the two closed the gap between them in the blink of an eye. Sparks exploded as their blades connected, steel striking against steel.

Their duel had begun.

Their swords clashed violently, each strike reflecting their resolve. Sparks exploded like fireworks as their blades connected, ringing loudly in the night.

There was bad blood between them, blood that would be spilled on the field of battle.

Nothing else mattered.

Their blades were soon locked together, as were their eyes as their glares met.

The two broke apart and exchanged a furious flurry of strikes. Both combatants fought with fierce determination and pure ferocity.

Ryujin Gaim finally broke through Majin Gaim's guard and struck him in the chest. However, besides a splash of sparks, the blow had no effect. Majin Gaim did not even show a sign of discomfort, let alone pain.

Majin Gaim retaliated, sending Ryujin Gaim sliding back with a swipe.

"You truly have become stronger, Nagata."

"I have, Taiga. I've trained a lot and experienced so much more."

"There's no doubt about that. This world has so many dangers and you did what you could to survive. Of course, it also helped that you had that belt. You had an unfair advantage from the start."

"So says the pot to the kettle."

"I'm just evening up the playing field. How could I stand against you if I didn't have my own fancy equipment?"

Suddenly, Majin Gaim took out the Toxic Arrow and fired at Ryujin Gaim, sending him reeling. Pressing his advantage, Majin Gaim dashed forward and slashed Ryujin Gaim across the chest, sending him backpedaling as sparks erupted from the strike. Majin Gaim resumed his assault with a furious flurry of slashes.

Ryujin Gaim was forced on the defensive as he used his sword to parry Majin Gaim's strikes. A critical blow broke through his guard and sent Ryujin Gaim falling to the ground.

Ryujin Gaim groaned. He never expected for Majin Gaim to display such power.

"You self-entitled son of a bitch. You have _everything_ , but deserve _none_ of it. You take it all for granted and throw it all away when it suits you," Majin Gaim growled. "It's time you got what you deserve! Goodbye, Nagata!"

 **[TAOTIE SQUASH!]**

Majin Gaim charged his Blood Drake Tail Sword and Toxic Arrow. He swung his weapons, sending crescent-shaped blades of energy flying towards Ryujin Gaim.

When they hit, he would be obliterated.

Suddenly, a giant red apple intercepted both attacks, causing an explosion. Ryujin Gaim's eyes widened as he saw the apple. His shock grew as the giant apple split apart and Idunn emerged from it.

"Kara-chan?"

Ryujin Gaim blinked in surprise as Idunn offered him her hand. He didn't hesitate as he took it and she helped him up.

"Naga-kun, he's too strong for you. Let me help you."

Ryujin Gaim was hesitant to trust her, but right now he could use her help.

"It doesn't matter how many of you there are. I'm still going to win," said Majin Gaim as he replaced his sword and bow with a spiked mace. The head of the mace was covered with a hundred sharp spikes. This was his **100-Needle Club**.

Ryujin Gaim and Idunn then took a stance together with their swords.

"Kara-chan, let's do this!"

Idunn nodded and smiled as he accepted her help.

The two Odas charged at Majin Gaim who was ready to take them both on.

 **[KAGEMATSU! BANASPEAR! ICHIGO KUNAI! CARAMBOLA STARS!]**

The summoned weapons burst out of an invisible wall and flung themselves at Majin Gaim. Majin Gaim deflected the flying projectiles with his mace, not noticing the Helheim portal opening behind him.

Ryujin Gaim accelerated, lightning trailing behind him as he tackled Majin Gaim. Wrapping his arms around his rival, he lifted him up and carried him through the Helheim portal. Idunn soon followed and the portal closed behind them.

When Ryujin Gaim dropped Majin Gaim, they now stood in the Helheim Forest. Majin Gaim scanned his surroundings and glowered at Ryujin Gaim and Idunn.

"So, changing the battlefield, huh?" Majin Gaim cocked his head to the side. "You think this will give you an advantage? It won't make a difference."

 **[PAPAYA CHOPPER!]**

"Then you don't know anything," Ryujin Gaim retorted as he brandished the halberd.

Both Odas rushed Majin Gaim at the same time. Once the two closed the gap, they struck Majin Gaim in the chest. His defensive power prevented him from taking damage, but he still managed to feel their combined might as they struck him.

In retaliation, Majin Gaim struck back, prompting them to parry the blows and swing back at him. He once again blocked their strikes and returned his own. A furious exchange of lethal blows took place.

It was two against one, but it was not superior numbers that would determine the conclusion of this fight. Only superior skill would decide the victor.

Majin Gaim knocked the Apple Reflecter out of Idunn's grip and threw a kick that sent her tumbling. He soon returned his focus on Ryujin Gaim and bashed him with the 100-Needle Club, throwing him to the ground to join his cousin.

"Come on, Nagata! I know you can do better than this!" Majin Gaim shouted.

Ryujin Gaim growled and brought out his Nobunagun. He passed the weapon over to Idunn, giving her a nod. He was entrusting her with this.

She would not let him down again.

Ryujin Gaim ran up to Majin Gaim and the two resumed their duel. Their weapons clashed violently. Ryujin Gaim slashed at Majin Gaim, but his rival smacked the halberd aside with his club before driving Ryujin Gaim back with a violent smash.

"I usually prefer a sword compared to something so crude, but beggars can't be choosers," Majin Gaim commented as he walked up to Ryujin Gaim with his 100-Needle Club.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]**

Ryujin Gaim jumped and performed a scissor kick. Around his legs, a projection of dragon jaws appeared.

" _DAI RYUJIN KIBA!_ "

The attack was instantly countered as Majin Gaim swung his 100-Needle Club, knocking Ryujin Gaim back down to the ground.

"Try again," Majin Gaim dared.

 **[COCO BOXERS!]**

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN AU LAIT!]**

" _DAI RYUJIN DANMAKU!"_

Ryujin Gaim climbed to his feet and attacked Majin Gaim with a flurry of lightning fast punches. However, Majin Gaim did not seem to be affected by the blows. He just laughed as he took the punches without a care in the world.

"Hahahaha! Stop! That tickles!"

Idunn removed the Ringo Lockseed from her SengokuDriver and loaded it in the Nobunagun's Drive Bay.

 **[LOCK ON!]**

The bayonet blade moved as it curved over the muzzle, changing the rifle to Sickle Mode.

"Naga-kun, move!"

Ryujin Gaim got the signal and scrambled away.

 **[RINGO CHARGE!]**

She swung and fired an arch of red energy that hit Majin Gaim, freezing him up. He was completely immobilized.

 **[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]**

Ryujin Gaim took out his DJ Gun and loaded it with the Orange Lockseed. He then hit his Cutting Blade thrice.

 **[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]**

 **[ORANGE CHARGE!]**

"Take this! _DAI RYUJIN HOU!_ "

Ryujin Gaim fired a dragon-shaped blast at Majin Gaim.

He was finished.

The eyes of the demonic face on Majin Gaim's chestpiece suddenly flashed as it opened its jaws. Much to Ryujin Gaim's shock, it literally swallowed the Dai Ryujin Hou blast.

The jaws snapped shut and then opened again to fire the same blast, only with twice the intensity. The two Odas were engulfed by an explosion. They tumbled out of the smoke and flames as their armor vanished in a flash, reverting them to their civilian forms.

But that was not the worse part. The Kachidoki Lockseed had taken damage too and was covered in cracks.

Majin Gaim broke out of the forced immobilization. He considered his next move. He could kill Nagata right now, but he wanted to savor his misery.

"Your kingdom is going to crumble, Nagata. Everything you've built and fought for is going to burn, burn and fall into ashes. Now you'll know how it feels to lose everything like _we_ have. But this isn't enough for _us_. Oh, no. You took _everything_ from us, so now I'm going to take away something precious from you."

He put away his 100-Needle Club to take out his Toxic Arrow.

He aimed for Karasu and fired.

* * *

The armored Shoku Warriors fought the terracotta soldiers. At first, there was some difficulty as the terracotta soldiers' sturdy bodies prevented their destruction. However, when Chouhi stopped holding back and managed to destroy them with ease, the solution was really quite simple.

All they had to do was hit them really, really hard.

 **[HAI~! BUDOU SPARKING!]**

Ryugen fired rapidly at a group of the terracotta soldiers, reducing them to rubble.

Despite putting a dent in their numbers, however, the terracotta soldiers were still tough opponents. Being living statues, they did not get exhausted and the Shoku Warriors were gradually feeling drained from fighting continuously.

But then, all of a sudden, the terracotta soldiers froze. They stopped moving. They were just statues again.

"What just happened?" Bacho asked as she tapped one of the inert terracotta soldiers with her spear. It did not respond. It just stood there with its sword raised.

"Maybe they ran out of juice?" Ryugen suggested. He looked over to Haru who had taken cover during the whole thing. "And now, to get some answers."

* * *

Enjutsu was enjoying her honey water while admiring the Seal of Heaven. Any minute now, a messenger from Shoku would come and hand her a letter that declared their surrender. She had no doubt that they would surrender. This was not an army they could fight and hope to win.

Suddenly, Sadako barged into her tent.

"Enjutsu-sama, they're coming to attack us!" Sadako reported.

Enjutsu spewed out her honey water and coughed.

"Wha-wha-WHAT!? They should've sent a messenger first! Stupid rebels! Fine, if they want to fight then we will give them one! Get those statues moving! We're going to destroy this place and take what's left of it! We'll make an example out of them!"

"The statues aren't moving anymore."

"WHAT!?"

"They just stopped moving. I think something happened to Ukitsu."

Enjutsu gripped her hair. Why did something have to go wrong when she was so close to victory?

"What can we do?" Enjutsu asked Sadako.

"There's no need to worry, Enjutsu-sama. We still have Kurokage Troopers. We can handle them."

"You're right. We can handle anything they throw at us. Nothing can stop me when I have the Seal of Heaven."

Sadako resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If only Enjutsu knew the truth of her Seal of Heaven.

Sadako stepped out of the tent to get ready. She put on her GenesisDriver. Any minute now, Iori would show up.

She soon spotted the Shoku Warriors coming their way. She unlocked her Lemon Energy Lockseed in response.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY!]**_

"Henshin."

 _ **[LOCK ON! SODA! LEMON ENERGY ARMS!]**_

Transformed and equipped for battle, Duchess-Shin rallied the Kurokage Troopers. While their forces have diminished when the terracotta soldiers returned to being mere statues, they still had enough power to deal with the Shoku Warriors.

"Take them out!" Duchess-Shin ordered and the Kurokage Troopers roared as they rushed the charging Shoku Warriors.

The Kurokage Troopers and the Shoku Warriors were engaged in brutal combat. Knuckle had led the Shoku Warriors straight to Enjutsu's base camp. He wanted to make up for attacking them earlier. He also asked them to help him rescue Ensho and the others once they were done here.

In the midst of the battle, Ryugen found Duchess-Shin and chose to engage.

It was a good thing he still had his Ryugen-Yomi powers. Even if his Yomotsuheguri Lockseed was broken, he could always make a new one with a spare Budou Lockseed.

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]**

Duchess-Shin was a threat to his happiness and the safety of his family. He had every intention of ending her life.

Duchess-Shin was prepared for this confrontation. She remembered how their last encounter went, of how he soundly beat her with his Ryugen-Yomi form. As a precaution, Ukitsu had given her a talisman to empower her, to put her at the same level as Ryugen-Yomi.

When Duchess-Shin saw Ryugen perform an Arms Change into Ryugen-Yomi, she put the talisman on her chest. The paper vanished but the written characters were absorbed into her body. She felt the power flow through her veins. Her armor changed hue, the yellow turning into gold.

Now she was ready for anything Ryugen-Yomi had to throw at her.

The two formerly engaged pair fought furiously. Duchess-Shin proved to be a ferocious combatant and the extra power granted by the talisman proved to be more than Ryugen-Yomi could handle.

This surprised Ryugen-Yomi as she was never this strong before. Even with Lemon Energy Arms, she should not be _this_ strong.

Duchess-Shin sent Ryugen-Yomi reeling with a slash across the chest. He howled in pain as he staggered back.

 _ **[LEMON ENERGY SQUASH!]**_

Duchess-Shin fired her Sonic Arrow and the bolt pierced Ryugen-Yomi's left shoulder. He screamed as he fell to the ground, his shoulder smoking.

"I expected better from you, Iori-san," said Duchess-Shin with a disappointed sigh. "What happened to you? Have you gone soft? Where's that power you used to drive me away before?"

Ryugen-Yomi gritted his teeth.

"Whatever. Anyway, your kingdom is about to fall. Quite a pity really. Now Iori-san, where's that bitch and her little brat?"

Ryugen-Yomi's eyes widened as he heard that.

She was planning on harming Kochu and Riri.

In that instant, something awakened within him. He struggled for a bit but managed to climb back to his feet.

"So, still got some fight in you, it seems," said Duchess-Shin. "Well, I can fix that." She aimed her Sonic Arrow at him. She wasn't going to kill him. After all, she couldn't marry a corpse. She just wanted to knock him out.

She fired up the charged energy bolt but Ryugen-Yomi deflected it with his Yomiyari. A reddish-black aura flared up from his body, and Duchess-Shin's eyes widened in shock as a chill ran up her spine.

"No!" Duchess-Shin shrieked in protest as she fired her Sonic Arrow repeatedly at Ryugen-Yomi. However, the dark aura shielded his body as it neutralized the energy bolts.

Duchess-Shin's eyes widened in fear as she saw Ryugen-Yomi approach. This form had plagued her nightmares for months. It was why it took some time until she regained her confidence. She thought that her new Lemon Energy Arms would help her match him. Ukitsu's talisman should have also made her more than powerful enough to take Ryugen-Yomi on.

She had the advantage before, but not anymore. Once she realized that, her bravado fell.

"GO AWAY! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Duchess-Shin screamed desperately as she fired at Ryugen-Yomi. However, her shots had no effect on Ryugen-Yomi.

He was invincible.

Duchess-Shin swung at him, but he caught her Sonic Arrow.

"What!?" Duchess-Shin shrieked and she tried to take her weapon back. "Let go! I said let go! Let go!" She started kicking him, but this just made him tighten his grip on her bow.

Ryugen-Yomi tore the Sonic Arrow out of Duchess-Shin's grip before he buried his fist into her stomach, painfully throwing her backward.

"You're not hurting them and I'm not going back with you, Sadako-san. Not now, not _ever_. You can't make me do what you want anymore," he told her coldly.

"All I want is what's best for you!" Duchess-Shin justified. "You shouldn't be living like this! You should be living in luxury, with a fortune and servants to command! The way you're living now is undignified for someone of our station!"

"All the money in the world can't buy you happiness, Sadako-san. I figured that out a long time ago! For the first time in my life, I'm truly happy! The way I live will be dictated by myself, and this is what I want! This is how I choose to live!"

"You don't know what you want!"

"Yes, I do! And right now, I _want_ you gone!"

 **[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI SQUASH!]**

"Goodbye, Sadako-san!"

Ryugen-Yomi aimed his Budou Ryuhou and pulled the trigger.

Duchess-Shin screamed as she was blasted by the Budou Ryuhou. She was thrown backward, landing roughly on her back. In a flash, her armor vanished. Her Lemon Energy Lockseed also popped out of the GenesisDriver.

Exhausted, Ryugen-Yomi fell to his knees as he dropped his Budou Ryuhou. In a flash, his armor vanished before he collapsed on the ground.

Sadako groaned and hissed as she shakily climbed to her feet.

Glaring down at her former fiancé, Sadako dragged herself over to him.

She kicked him over onto his back then drew her rapier.

"Sadako..." Iori groaned.

"Iori-san..." Sadako hissed. "You need discipline...!"

She brought the rapier down on his shoulder and he released a cry of agony as the blade pierced his flesh.

She pulled the blade out and watched as he trembled on the ground, blood spreading from the wound. Iori breathed heavily as he tried to endure the pain.

She then moved her rapier down his arm and then pierced his hand. He let out another cry of pain from the injury.

Sadako was torturing him. She wanted to pay him back for all the pain he had caused her.

Iori screwed his eyes shut as Sadako lifted her rapier to his bicep and pushed the blade down. The blade went through and he let out another scream of pain. The woman grinned as she sadistically tortured him.

His cries of pain were so arousing.

"Don't worry, Iori-san. After this, I'll have you fixed up. Then the _real fun_ can begin..."

She pierced him in the thigh and he yelled out again. As he started to bleed, his mind drifted. He began to think about Kochu and Riri while reminiscing about their time spent together.

He could die with no regrets since he was able to experience true happiness with them.

Sadako raised her rapier to his face.

"I really don't want to mess your face up, so how about you tell me how much you love me?" Sadako asked sweetly.

"I...love..." Iori started, with a shallow breath.

"Yes...go on..." Sadako prompted, eager to hear him finish.

"I love Shion and Riri..."

Sadako scowled.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that! I'm going to mess your face up so much that not even she will ever love you!"

"Go ahead...you bitch..." Iori dared.

Sadako made a cut on his cheek, drawing blood.

Suddenly, she let out a scream when an arrow pierced her wrist, forcing her to drop her weapon.

"WHO DID THAT!?" she shrieked as she cradled her injured wrist while looking around wildly.

Another arrow hit her in the leg and she dropped onto one knee, screaming again. Another one pierced her chest before she was riddled with arrows.

"This...this is not...how it's...supposed to..." Sadako could not finish her sentence as an arrow hit her right between the eyes. It pierced her skull and brain.

It was a headshot.

There was no way she could have survived that.

Sadako collapsed in front of Iori.

Iori looked surprised when he saw this.

Who had saved him?

"Airen!"

Was he hearing things? Was he hallucinating due to blood loss?

"Shion...?"

"My goodness! You're hurt!"

Kochu scooped up her husband in a bridal carry and carried him away to safety. He did not resist and rested his head against her chest.

"Just hang on, Airen! We'll get to Kada and he'll fix you up! Just hang on!"

Kochu's words, while frantic and desperate, filled him with comfort.

They left Sadako's body behind. Now that she was dead, she would no longer trouble them ever again.

* * *

Enjutsu was frantically packing her things in her tent. The situation was no longer in her favor. The Shoku Warriors were taking down her soldiers and her Armored War Goddess had been taken out.

She needed to get away and hole herself up in her castle.

She finally snatched the Seal of Heaven. She would not dare forget about her most precious treasure.

"Yes...my precious..."

She tossed it into her bag and lifted it up before she stepped out of the tent. If she snuck off in all the confusion, she could get away.

She stopped in her tracks.

Chouhi and Batai were standing right in front of her, blocking her exit. Enjutsu yelped and dropped her bag, causing the contents to spill out.

"MY PRECIOUS!" Enjutsu screamed as she picked up the Seal of Heaven. She held it up to the two warriors. "YOU TWO, BOW BEFORE ME! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

Chouhi smacked the Seal of Heaven out of Enjutsu's hand. It fell to the ground and shattered to pieces.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Enjutsu screamed as she fell to her knees, trying to gather up the pieces of her beautiful Seal of Heaven. "MY PRECIOUS! MY PRECIOUS! DON'T LEAVE ME! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

The Seal of Heaven would not have broken so easily. It could only mean one thing.

Enjutsu's Seal of Heaven was a forgery.

* * *

Majin Gaim fired the Toxic Arrow at Karasu.

The corrosive arrow was headed toward her, and it would have hit her too if Nagata had not caught it in his hand.

He broke the arrow which evaporated into nothing.

This surprised Majin Gaim. Just touching one of those arrows without protection was fatal, but Nagata was able to catch one and survive. Not only that, Nagata's eyes glowed bright blue with lightning crackling from them.

"GET AWAY FROM MY COUSIN!" Nagata roared as black lightning surged from his body. In that instant, Nagata changed as he transformed without the use of his SengokuDriver.

He was clad in a black jinbaori over a bronze and gold set of armor with a draconic skull on his chest. The eye sockets of the dragon skull glowed with frigid fury. A segmented, black metal dragon tail trailed behind him as he continued to walk forward while a black cape hung from his back, secured to his shoulders by pins resembling his personal emblem. His head was encased in a kabuto helmet with draconic horns mounted on top as well as a dragon's face on the brow. His eyes were covered by a blood red visor and his mouth was covered by a faceplate resembling a set of jagged teeth. His forearms were encased in bronze and gold gauntlets with sharp claws at the tips.

The **Heavenly Demon Overlord Gaim** had descended.

Karasu gaped at her cousin's new demonic form.

"Naga-kun...?"

"My, my, isn't this interesting?" Majin Gaim remarked as he gave Overlord Gaim's new form a once over. "Dark and broody. Is that supposed to be intimidating?"

Overlord Gaim looked straight at Majin Gaim before he struck.

The sudden blow sent Majin Gaim flying as he crashed through several trees.

Overlord Gaim ran after his flying opponent.

He wanted to finish this.

Karasu's eyes widened in shock.

"...So fast."

She climbed to her feet so she could go and watch the fight.

Majin Gaim rose to his feet but took another punch to the face. He then took another and another. Punches rained down on him before a blow to his chin knocked him down to the ground.

Overlord Gaim stood over him. He looked menacing in his demonic armor. It seemed that any semblance of mercy had left him.

"Looks like you caught your second wind," Majin Gaim observed as he rubbed his chin. "I was afraid this would be boring."

Overlord Gaim growled in response. He took a step forward but was hit by a sudden wave of vertigo. He groaned as he fell on his hands and knees while he reverted to his civilian form. He was exhausted and drained.

Majin Gaim blinked.

That was rather anticlimactic.

Majin Gaim roughly grasped Nagata by his hair, pulling him up to look him in the eye.

"You almost had me. Too bad you ran out of steam at the most critical moment."

A black, tar-like substance surrounded Majin Gaim's free hand. The malleable material took on the shape of a blade and hardened.

"In the end, I came up on top. Goodbye, Nagata."

Majin Gaim drove the makeshift blade through Nagata's chest.

Karasu was standing by a tree when she saw this happen.

"NO!" Karasu screamed.

Nagata gasped and spat out blood as the blade pierced him.

Majin Gaim looked at her as he withdrew his blade from Nagata's chest. The blade melted and dripped to the ground as the tar-like substance used to create it formed a puddle.

"Here, take your garbage."

Majin Gaim carelessly tossed Nagata to her. She was frozen in shock and did not catch him. He landed roughly on his back with a deep wound in his chest.

Karasu crawled over to Nagata.

"Naga-kun...?"

Karasu put a trembling hand on his shoulder.

"Kara...chan..."

He was still alive, but barely holding on. He coughed up more blood.

Nagata weakly held up the Ryujin Key to her. With only moments to spare, he needed to do this.

"Take it...please..."

Karasu shakily took the Ryujin Key.

"Naga-kun...I'm so sorry. Please don't die..."

"Kara-chan...I'm entrusting you...with my will..."

Those were his last words.

That was all he managed to say with his last, dying breath.

* * *

Kanu felt an icy grip on her heart.

It was not a good feeling. In fact, she was filled with a cold feeling of dread.

Something felt terribly wrong.

"Nagata-sama...?"

* * *

Karasu shook her head in denial as tears flowed down from her eyes.

"No...No...No..."

She pressed her face against Nagata, weeping.

"Naga-kun...Naga-kun...Naga-kun..."

 **[A life for a life. The price must be paid.]**

A dark aura spread across Nagata's body, turning his body black. He disintegrated right before her eyes and vanished into thin air, leaving behind his belt and the broken Kachidoki Lockseed.

Karasu panicked when he disappeared.

"Naga-kun! Naga-kun!"

She mourned for her cousin, feeling a mix of anger and grief swell within her heart.

Her most beloved cousin was gone forever.

She would never see him ever again.

Her only hope for salvation and redemption was taken from her.

Karasu glared at Majin Gaim and her anger exploded.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED NAGA-KUN!"

Majin Gaim just sighed in response.

"I suggest you run. After everything you've done, I doubt anyone will be happy to see _you_ out and about. What do you think will happen when they find out Nagata is gone and see that you're free?"

Majin Gaim summoned a portal and stepped through it, leaving Karasu alone with only her grief to keep her company.

While she hated to agree with Majin Gaim, what he said was true. Nobody would be happy to see her free, and once they learned Nagata was gone, they would immediately blame her.

She had betrayed Nagata once, so they would believe she had done it again.

She did the most sensible thing given her situation. She decided to run. With all the chaos taking place, nobody would notice she was gone until things calmed down.

Before she fled, she picked up Nagata's SengokuDriver and his broken Kachidoki Lockseed. Along with his Ryujin Key, they were all she had left of him.

* * *

A Helheim portal opened up in the storehouse. Saver stepped out first, followed by a group of Genesis cultists in white robes.

Finding what he was looking for, Saver opened up the chest to reveal the red pomegranate Lockseeds. His visor glowed and the Lockseeds glowed as well.

Now, they were ready.

"Take one each and spread out all over the village," Saver ordered. "Show them how easily everything they've worked so hard to build can crumble."

The cultists each grabbed a red pomegranate Lockseed and Saver opened the door. With no guards to stop them, they spread out all over the village.

It did not take very long for them to begin. Minutes later, multiple explosions happened throughout Touka Village. Homes and businesses were destroyed in blazes of destruction.

Saver eyed the castle in the distance. It was a monument that represented Shoku's power.

It would fall as well.

"After this, it will be _your_ turn, Onii-chan," Saver vowed menacingly.

* * *

Komei was up on the watchtower, surveying the battle via a telescope.

Earlier, she saw Ryujin Gaim fighting against Duke. She had seen the entire thing. She had even witnessed Ryujin Gaim fighting another doppelganger.

When she saw Idunn join the fight, she was shocked.

She soon lost sight of them when they entered a Helheim portal.

When she looked back to the battle taking place outside the walls of their village, she saw the Shoku Warriors beating Enjutsu's Kurokage Troopers. Even without Ryujin Gaim, they were victorious.

She heard a boom and cried out in fright. She turned her attention towards the noise. She saw a plume of smoke rise into the air.

A couple more explosions followed while she watched helplessly as homes and businesses were blown up. More explosions occurred, spreading destruction all around her as plumes of smoke rose in the air.

This was not good. While their defenders were gone, someone was attacking the village.

She needed to warn everybody, but by the time she reached them, it would already be too late. She did not know what was causing the explosions, but she knew she could not remain here. So she decided to do the most sensible thing and flee.

Fortunately, Shokatsuryou Komei was a resourceful girl. She knew how to get away from danger.

Taking out a Lockseed, she summoned up her Inves. A long time had passed since she got her Lockseed, and the Elementary Inves she summoned with it had grown to the size of an adult.

"Get me out of here, please," Komei commanded the Inves. The Inves nodded and put its arms around Komei. The Inves sprouted its wings and took off, carrying Komei to safety.

Komei looked down as more explosions destroyed Shoku.

"No..." Komei wept but she had to get away and rejoin the others.

They needed to know the terrible news.

* * *

 **THE END OF SEASON 6 VOLUME I**

 **TO BE CONTINUED IN VOLUME II**

* * *

 **Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil**

 **Dragon Energy Arms (Duke Version):** Duke's Dragon Energy Arms is similar to Tyrant's, but it is asymmetrical as the shoulder pads are different. In terms of physical power, Duke receives a significant boost in this form. He can also use his cloaking ability and he can generate clones to overpower his opponents. These abilities were carried over from his Lemon Energy Arms. It is unknown what his Dragon Energy Arms' special abilities are. The Dragon Energy Arms used by Duke does have one minor aesthetic difference compared to Tyrant's. The right shoulder pad is much larger with a white stone embedded in it. This gives the armor an asymmetrical appearance, which is the general look for this Energy Arms.

 **Lemon Energy Arms (Duchess-Shin Version):** Duchess uses Duke's Lemon Energy Lockseed to assume this form. As such, it possesses the physical strength enhancement as the original. Ukitsu decided to provide her with an extra boost. Via a magic talisman, Duchess-Shin's Lemon Energy Arms turns to gold in color and she receives extra power to put her at the same level as Ryugen-Yomi.

 **Bujin Gaim Arms:** Summoned via the Bujin Gaim Lockseed, this Arms form possesses the powers of Armored War Devil Bujin Gaim. In terms of stats, it is superior to Kachidoki Arms. It still loses to Ryujin Gaim but it can still put up a pretty good fight. The Arms Weapons of this form are the Musou Saber, Blood Daidaimaru, Blood Drake Tail Sword and Toxic Arrow.

 **Taotie Arms:** Summoned via the Taotie Lockseed, this Arms form grants the user the power of Taotie, one of the Four Great Fiends. Taotie Arms boasts incredible defensive stats. This Arms form also grants the user the ability to absorb damage to increase their physical might. The Taotie Face on the chest can also absorb energy attacks and redirect them with double the power. The signature weapon of this form is the **100-Needle Club** , which is a spiked mace that is covered with exactly 100 spikes.

* * *

 **KRC:** And so ends the third arc of the 6th Season and also the first volume. That's right. This is the end of this volume so I'll continue Season 6 with another volume real soon. I'll take a long break before I start that, though. There's some much needed planning.

A lot has happened in this arc, that's for sure. First, we have Iori and Nagata's relationship being strained by their conflicting views. Karasu finally reveals herself as the traitor Nanamomo warned Nagata about. Karasu tries to brainwash Nagata but fails, then we have Enjutsu gaining the Seal of Heaven.

And now Nagata is gone and Karasu is a wanted fugitive. There is absolutely no way she can go back to the Shoku Warriors or get help from the other factions. They would kill her on sight without a second thought.

OK, so I've received some negative reviews of my fic. It's always been about the villains, the story direction, characterization, and anything that the reviewers felt were disappointing. Speaking of characterization, you complain a lot from how I've been writing Nagata. I can see how his development has not been noteworthy. But I think he's just reacting to all the stuff that has happened to him and around him. His decisions and their consequences are starting to take their toll on him. I hope you understand. But if you don't care for it, that's your opinion.

As for filler, I probably may not stop writing those kinds of chapters. I enjoy writing those moments. If I enjoy it, I'll keep writing it.

I know what I want should not overshadow what the story needs, but I will decide what to include. But if I do decide on a revised AWG Saga, I could put a volume aside for the fillers alone.

But that's a slim chance maybe.

I try my best to consider what you're all saying so I can fix this story. Even the ones that say this story is damaged beyond repair. I'm still going to stick to this fic until it's finished. Yeah, it may have its flaws, but nothing is perfect. All we can do is just do our best. I'm trying to share a story. It may not be the best or win any awards, but I want to share something that I wrote myself.

Wait, I did not exactly write it myself. I also had help from other talented people I met online. I don't expect everyone to enjoy AWG, but for those who still stick around to read the Adventures of the Armored War Gods, I thank you for the support.

And as long as there are people who still want to read this fic, I'll continue writing it to the very end.

 **TFP:** Well, another arc has finished and the dark days of Shoku are continuing. Now it seems the kingdom has fallen and Enjutsu's part has been finished. The would-be empress no longer has power but Shoku seems forever broken now.

The enemy tide is rising and it seems they are one-third of the way to victory. Boo the bad guys!

* * *

Touka Village had seen better days. There were rubble and ruins scattered all over the place. It was also overrun with Helheim plants which spread everywhere.

There was an atmosphere of dread and gloominess surrounding the once lively and active capital of Shoku.

There was nobody in sight. It was abandoned and looked like it had been that way for quite some time now.

The castle was a complete wreck. It looked like a bomb had gone off inside. Once so full of life, but now it was left empty and lifeless like the rest of the surrounding village.

Suddenly, a portal quite unlike the Helheim portals opened. It was like someone tore a hole in reality with a sword.

Then, a figure leaped out of the tear and landed on his feet.

His whole body was concealed under a hood and cloak that was worn out and tattered but with an odd sturdiness. He scanned his surroundings and decided to look around. Maybe he could find some clues and found out what happened here.


End file.
